Quality day care and after-school care make a difference in children's lives and give parents real peace of mind. Nearly half of working people are raising children. We can't concentrate on our jobs unless we're sure our children are safe, healthy and learning. We can't keep our jobs if care isn't reliable. In high-quality child care, preschoolers thrive and learn.
Older kids are safe and supervised after school.
But care that meets high standards is hard to find for kids of any age. Studies show that six out of seven day care centers provide mediocre to poor quality care. Nine out of 10 family day care homes, where babies and preschoolers spend their days, also fall short. Partly because good child care workers can't afford to stay in their jobs. Child care workers earn less than parking lot attendants and animal caretakers.