Courtney Monk’s Post

Supply-side funding will help irrigate the “childcare deserts”, identified by the Mitchell Institute, in which one third of Australia’s population now lives. These are mostly in regional and remote areas and in outer suburbs of the major cities.

The emphasis on the financial strain imposed by childcare costs and the implications for families at different income levels demonstrates a nuanced and complex interplay between childcare affordability, workforce participation, and economic stability. The call for comprehensive and accessible support systems aligns with the need for policy solutions that prioritize equitable access to quality childcare services for all families. Brittany Birken and Herman Knopf insightful.

Take a look at this update on child care costs for families in Florida. When 77% of your income is needed to cover childcare, what can you pay for housing? Note that for many households childcare can actually exceed the cost of rent. Think about the kind of sacrifices that math could force families to make: finding precarious living arrangements, limiting one’s ability to seek work or advance one’s career, cutting back on other household necessities like food, healthcare, or other basics. These household decisions resonate into wider communities, placing strain on health systems, available workforce, and other resources. What would it look like to have these needs within reach for families across the income spectrum? How would that strengthen lives and communities and bolster the economy?

In Florida, where childcare costs could consume up to 77 percent of a low-income household’s annual income, parents who want to participate in the workforce must ask, “At what cost?” For more on the data, read this Partners Update, written by Brittany Birken, Community and Economic Development director and principal adviser, and Herman Knopf, senior research scientist for the University of Florida and visiting scholar in Community and Economic Development: https://atlfed.org/4cMRNc2.

In May, Ofsted published a blog about the upcoming changes for childminders this autumn. The Department for Education is now bringing in these changes on 1 November 2024 to give the early years sector (in particular childminders) more flexibility. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eKbqRxgH #childedexpo #ConnectLearnDiscover #earlyeducation #earlyyears

Last week, the Resolution Foundation and Connecting Generations teams launched the sixth Intergenerational Audit for the UK, evaluating the economic importance of intergenerational exchanges. This year’s report examines the critical support older generations offer to younger ones, including housing assistance, childcare, and financial aid such as gifts and inheritances. It also sheds light on the unpaid care responsibilities that younger and middle-aged adults frequently provide, particularly for ageing parents. Access the full report, the event recording and the CPC-CG research papers behind the findings: https://lnkd.in/eN9ZDfqs

As the federal government and states begin setting next year’s budget, early childhood education has emerged as a key focus. Research shows that most brain development occurs in the first five years, and high-quality early education leads to long-term positive academic, economic, and health outcomes. However, children from low-income backgrounds—who are disproportionately likely to live in low-income households—are significantly less likely to attend preschool due to high costs, limited availability, and barriers to obtaining child-care subsidies. Despite existing federal aid programs, the Department of Health and Human Services estimates that 77% of eligible children do not receive childcare and early education subsidies. Additionally, census data reveals a significant decline in preschool enrollment during the COVID-19 pandemic, as many child-care centers closed and costs increased. Learn more via: https://buff.ly/3wtkI4v EdTrust #MidwestUrbanStrategies #EarlyEducation #ChildDevelopment #Preschool #EarlyChildhood #EducationEquity #BrainDevelopment #ChildCare #EducationPolicy #HighQualityEducation #EconomicOutcomes #HealthOutcomes #EducationAccess #LowIncomeFamilies #SubsidyPrograms #COVIDImpact #EducationFunding #ChildhoodLearning #EducationalEquity #YouthDevelopment #InvestInKids

What motivates childcare workers to stay in the field? Is it the desire to contribute to society, having a sense of purpose, the joy of working with children, or money? 🥳 Our latest research, published in Forum for Social Economics, explores these questions using a large dataset.👇 https://lnkd.in/ggQ7ADdq Let me know if you need a free access!

Anyone with children or caring responsibilities will be familiar with "the juggle". For universities, it is not just academics and staff who need family friendly policies and support. More and more students are balancing childcare and a job alongside their studies - 20% of undergraduates in the US are parents, of which more than two thirds are women. So what practical steps can institutions take to help those with parental and caring responsibilities to flourish? We have pulled together advice on everything from managing parental leave and designing flexible learning to empathetic management and giving a voice to parents across an institution. Take a look at our latest spotlight collection: How to factor family into higher education

The Australian Government's Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee published its report for the 2024-25 Budget. Wonderful to see an entire chapter devoted to the early years, where it notes: "Brain development, along with the love, care, services and support children receive in the first three to five years of life hugely influence their later development and life chances. The most profound influence on our earliest years is our family environment and the pressures that shape our family households. Raising children – particularly during early childhood and when children have extra needs – significantly affects household finances, parental career progression, and the emotional stability of families." Some welcome recommendations including addressing childcare deserts, ECEC workforce pay and conditions and importantly, developing a coherent and universal early years system - which means looking at all of the supports for children and young families, not just early childhood education and care. This was one of the key points Playgroup Australia made when we met with Productivity Commissioners for the PC Inquiry into ECEC earlier this year. https://lnkd.in/gFTY9687 #earlyyears #earlychildhood #ECEC