Although the debate over health care reform has only just begun, the next wave of major change in federal and state policy is anticipated to be welfare reform. Welfare reform has significant implications for children and families and for child care. Implications of Welfare Reform for Children Children have a right to a quality child care experience while their parents work or are in training toward the goal of ending welfare dependency. Family poverty places young children at risk.
All children have comparable needs regardless of the order of their birth.
Therefore, by no means should aid to families with dependent children be limited to a specified number of children or a child of record. Young children's healthy development, especially their social and language development, is greatly affected by the quality and consistency of their child care experiences. Provisions for child care for children from low income families must ensure that settings meet standards of quality and that children are able to remain in the same setting over time. As family income increases, children should be able to remain in the same child care arrangement, if parents choose. All families have the right to provide child care themselves for their children.