The House Committee on Education and the Workforce will vote today on reauthorization of the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), which is intended to help low-income families secure child care services. Currently, only $2.21 billion has been appropriated for discretionary spending. The National Women’s Law Center (NWLC), however, is calling on the House Committee to increase funding for CCBDG to allow for better training of child care workers and better wages.
On average, child care workers – predominantly women – earn only $7.86 per hour, or $16,350 annually, making pet sitters better compensated at an average of $17,600 annually. Low wages, according to NWLC Vice President Judith Appelbaum, leads to high turnover and poor delivery of childcare services. To more adequately address the problem, in addition to more funding for CCBDG, NWLC is also urging the House to pass legislation that would provide funding to states for education incentive programs that would provide child care workers with scholarships to pursue higher education in a child care related field.
