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OCR Page 1 of 50EC-11. CHILD CARE AND EARLY EDUCATION
11.1
PREAMBLE
THE NATION'S GOVERNORS BELIEVE IN WORKING TOWARD A GOAL OF A
SEAMLESS CHILD CARE AND EARLY EDUCATION SYSTEM THAT PROVIDES A SAFE,
NURTURING, AND DEVELOPMENTALLY SOUND ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL CHILDREN.
THIS SEAMLESS SYSTEM OF CARE SHOULD BE LINKED TO HEALTH CARE AND
EDUCATION SYSTEMS AND PROMOTE PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IN THEIR CHILDREN'S
OUT-OF-HOME CARE SETTING.
GOVERNORS RECOGNIZE THAT PARENTS ARE CHILDREN'S FIRST AND PRIMARY
NURTURERS. PARENTS HAVE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CARE OF THEIR
CHILDREN, INCLUDING FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, AND GOVERNMENT AND
EMPLOYER POLICIES SHOULD SUPPORT THE FAMILY AS THE PRIMARY CHILD CARE
UNIT. PARENTS SHOULD MAKE THE CHOICE ABOUT WHAT CHILD CARE, IF ANY, IS
RIGHT FOR THEIR CHILD. FOR INSTANCE, CHILD CARE MAY BE OFFERED BY A STAY-AT-
HOME PARENT, A RELATIVE, OR A FORMAL DAY CARE PROVIDER. ALTHOUGH PARENTS
REMAIN THE CORNERSTONE OF A CHILD'S UPBRINGING, THE INCREASED NUMBER OF
PARENTS IN THE WORKPLACE, ESPECIALLY SINGLE PARENTS, ENFORCES THE NEED FOR
ENSURING APPROPRIATE CHILD CARE AND EARLY EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN OF ALL
AGES. SOME STATES HAVE ADOPTED PROGRAMS THAT PERMIT PARENTS TO STAY
HOME, ESPECIALLY IN THE EARLY YEARS.
RECENT RESEARCH DEMONSTRATES THAT CHILDREN NEED A STIMULATING AND
NURTURING ENVIRONMENT FOR HEALTHY BRAIN DEVELOPMENT. COST-BENEFIT
RESEARCH SHOWS THAT EARLY INVESTMENT IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT CAN PREVENT
LARGER EXPENSES TO REMEDIATE PROBLEMS IN THE FUTURE. THIS EARLY
INVESTMENT SHOULD BE LINKED TO OTHER CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS TO HELP
CHILDREN MAKE A SMOOTH TRANSITION INTO THE EDUCATION SYSTEM.
GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO ENSURE A QUALITY SYSTEM OF CHILD CARE FOR
FAMILIES OF ALL INCOME LEVELS WHO REQUIRE IT. A PRODUCTIVE WORKFORCE
DEPENDS ON A RELIABLE CHILD CARE SYSTEM TO ALLOW WORKING PARENTS TO
FOCUS ON THEIR WORK. PARENTS WHO KNOW THEIR CHILDREN ARE IN A SAFE,
NURTURING, AND DEVELOPMENTALLY SOUND CHILD CARE SETTING CAN FOCUS ON
THEIR OWN JOB PERFORMANCE. ACCORDING TO DATA FROM THE 1990 NATIONAL
CHILD CARE SURVEY, FAILURES IN CHILD CARE ARRANGEMENTS CAUSED NEARLY ONE
OF EVERY SIX WORKING MOTHERS TO LOSE TIME FROM WORK IN THE PRIOR MONTH.
IN ADDITION, WITH THE ENACTMENT OF P.L. 104-193, THE PERSONAL
RESPONSIBILITY AND WORK OPPORTUNITY RECONCILIATION ACT (PRWORA), MORE
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