California’s Youngest Citizens: A Cry for Help
California is home to over 1.7 million children below the age of 3, representing the future of our state in various professions. These young Californians, making up about 4% of the population, come from diverse backgrounds, with around 60% speaking a language other than English at home. However, despite their significance, they have been overlooked in policy discussions and funding decisions for far too long.
Research indicates that 80% of brain development occurs by the age of 3, laying the groundwork for a child’s cognitive, social, and emotional growth. Every moment without proper investment in infants’ development is a missed opportunity to shape a prosperous future.
The urgency for high-quality, affordable early learning and care for babies from birth cannot be overstated. Unfortunately, many families struggle with the cost or availability of such services, leading to difficult decisions between work and childcare responsibilities.
The impact of this shortage of care extends beyond families, affecting workplaces, schools, and communities at large. When quality care is hard to find, parents, often mothers, face leaving their jobs, resulting in financial instability, reduced career prospects for women, and decreased productivity in the economy.
To address these challenges and ensure all California children have access to early learning and care, educators and caregivers require our unwavering support. Most of these professionals, predominantly women of color, are among the lowest-paid workers in the state. The chronic underinvestment has pushed many of them out of the field, exacerbating the existing care shortage.
Championing Change and Creating Opportunities
Expanding the workforce is crucial, as while 36% of infants and toddlers qualify for subsidized care, only 14% actually have access to it. California has been a trailblazer in providing universal preschool through initiatives like Transitional Kindergarten (TK) for all 4-year-olds and extending state preschool to 3-year-olds. These efforts have the potential to bridge the gap in care access.
It is time to move from discussion to action by scaling up successful models across early learning and care settings. By adapting proven, high-quality programs to cater to a wider audience, especially those in underserved communities, we can ensure more children receive the education and support needed for their growth and development.
Steps Towards a Brighter Future
To address the existing challenges, several key actions are imperative:
• Continuing to advocate for fair reimbursement rates for child care to ensure caregivers receive a livable wage.
• Expanding child care access for working-class families by funding 200,000 new subsidized child care slots by 2027-28, with a focus on infants and toddlers.
• Removing obstacles for new child care facilities to open, such as streamlining the licensing process and enabling educators to pursue required courses while working.
Working together, by listening to families, supporting educators, and collaborating with policymakers and partners, we can create a system that benefits all. The decisions we make today will shape the future of our state, emphasizing the urgency of acting promptly to support our youngest citizens.
Patricia Lozano, the executive director of Early Edge California, and Scott Moore, the CEO of Kidango, are passionate advocates for accessible, high-quality early learning and care for under-resourced communities. Their voices highlight the critical need to prioritize the well-being of our youngest Californians, as they are the foundation of our future success.
Our babies deserve immediate attention and support. Let’s act now to ensure they receive the care and resources necessary for them to flourish and thrive in the years to come.
