We have a baby starting next week who was on the list before her mom got pregnant. Like Wayman, Joan has expanded to meet the growing demand from the community, although she doesn't advertise. Most of the children in her care belong to friends, and they provide all the business she can handle. Unfortunately, the demand for child care rarely translates into higher wages for the people providing it, some of whom face stiff resistance from neighbors who argue against day-care businesses in residential areas. Kenneth Jaffe, executive director of the International Child Resource Institute, says that people who have had years of higher education often find they can't afford to work in the field.
Many families rely on the public school system as a form of day care.
But for parents who work later hours, a school day isn't long enough. Some schools have opened their classrooms to after-hours care providers, but Jaffe guesses that less than half of schools in the county participate in such partnerships. The reduction of class size in recent years means that fewer rooms are available, and when space is limited, extracurricular programs are the first to go. IN THE FACE of the crisis, community organizations are banding together to spread the word and work on solutions. If it remains successful, Safe Havens could be a model for similar programs throughout the county.