Child care important

As a recently retired Arkansas educator, I have seen firsthand how high-quality early childhood programs help children and families thrive. The first years of life are the most critical for children’s brain development, which means that high-quality care is necessary so kids can learn in safe, nurturing environments.

While this type of child care is not cheap, it is an investment that we must make. Child care is not only important for the healthy development of children, but it’s also essential for parents and caregivers to maintain employment or return to work. A study last year found that a family of four earning less than $25,000 a year with an infant and toddler in a childcare center would have to spend 73 percent of its income on child care. That’s why I’d like to thank Congress, and specifically Sen. John Boozman, for voting to double funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG).

CCDBG helps low- and middleincome families afford child care. We must call on Congress to continue these effective investments and ensure CCDBG receives this historic level of funding again in fiscal year 2019. We are already seeing the positive impact of these funds here in Arkansas. Arkansas will use those funds to get nearly 4,000 more children in child care! That means that we’ll clear the entire waiting list of over 2,000 children and reach many more.

When we invest in the early years of children’s lives, particularly those living in poverty, we are setting them up for success in the future. Child care is important for our youngest learners, our families, and our communities. BRENDA L. TYLER Appleton