Parents work better and more confidently when they have safe, affordable childcare. Connie will continue to ensure quality, affordable and accessible childcare for families, including appropriate developmental care for children with special needs. As a parent, former foster parent and grandparent, Connie understands the daunting challenges of quality childcare. As a working foster parent, her family’s childcare challenges grew even more strained, particularly due to cost. She got legislation enacted providing paid childcare for working foster parents in addition to the foster care stipend. Since then, yearly budget cuts at the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS) to our state’s childcare subsidy program have substantially limited access to quality childcare for struggling, low-income, working families. Research suggests many parents will stop working entirely to qualify for childcare subsidies, pushing families into the welfare system. Other parents will abandon safe, licensed childcare for informal care with friends, siblings or neighbors. Finally, many licensed childcare providers are small, local businesses. These childcare providers may lose clients who can no longer afford their services, hurting small business owners. Many of these small businesses simply cannot afford to absorb higher co-pay costs. As Governor, Connie will fight to provide tax breaks for businesses that provide on-site childcare centers and for businesses that help employees find access to safe, affordable childcare services. She’ll work to provide access to childcare for all Oklahoma families, particularly for rural and at-risk urban communities. e.