The burden of poor quality and limited choice in child care rests most heavily on low-income working families above the poverty line. Striking disparities in what children know and can do are evident well before they enter kindergarten, and are strongly associated with social and economic circumstances. School readiness initiatives should be judged not only on the basis of their effectiveness in improving the performance of the children they reach, but also on the extent to which they make progress in reducing the significant disparities evident at kindergarten for children from differing backgrounds. A new national dialogue is needed . The nation needs to rethink the balance between individual and shared responsibility for young children.
Families are clearly the best vehicle for providing loving and caring relationships.
Communities are ideally situated to provide support through networks and voluntary associations. Businesses can create work environments to promote productivity and enhance family well-being through flexible work schedules and benefit packages. Government at all levels can make a significant difference through tax policies and minimum wage laws that alleviate economic hardship, child care standards that ensure safe and stimulating environments, funding for early intervention services for children with special needs, and paid family leave benefits and child care subsidies that give parents a real choice about whether and when to go back to work. The Board's website provides additional information on this study and other research on issues affecting children and their families.