Agenda - 02-04-1991 - Laserfiche WebLink

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The Impact of Diminishing Day Care Subsidy Dollars on Children and Families, Child Care Providers and the Orange County Community In Orange County there are currently 622 children on the waiting list for day care subsidy at the Department of Social Services. No new subsidies have been granted since May, 1989 to support day care for employed low income parents. Current state/federal subsidy dollars have been reduced by 41 % from 1988 -89, resulting in a 62% decline in the average number of children receiving subsidy each month. As a result, the community is facing a series of related problems. IMPACT on CHILDREN and FAMILIES. • Increased numbers of children are being placed in foster care and children are remaining in foster care longer, because day care subsidy is unavailable. Recruitment of foster homes has become more difficult because many foster parents need subsidized day care while they work • Low income, special needs children, who need subsidized developmental day care, are not being prepared for school, thus increasing the later costs of remedial services. • Child Protective Services social workers cite the decline in day care subsidy as a significant factor in the increase in child abuse and neglect referrals. Subsidized day care, when available, provides the necessary relief for families under stress and serves as a vehicle for the protection and monitoring of the child. • Day rare subsidy was discontinued for most families needing day care for schoolage children afterschool and in the summer, increasing the numbers of latchkey children in our community. • Even with the low unemployment rates in Orange County, increasing numbers of families (38% increase from 1987 to 1989) are becoming dependent on public assistance programs because they cannot afford child care. Without child care parents are not able to work IMPACT on DAY CARE PROVIDERS - Six nonprofit centers, who have traditionally served primarily low income families, are in ----financial crisis, because families who use these programs cannot afford to pay the cost of the �jyF_seryic leaving the centers.with:vacanciesand unpaid - --- :xx�NP'ei:�r ?r��.- .,c :• - -. -�r7T - - --- - '-- _ -- _ - - - - - —.:.:��c' �:•.� - _ - -- - r ��-- - - Segregatidn exists in. the day care deli very system because urany centers cart no loriger affard to -- subsidize larger numbers of children, resulting limited, racial and economic diversi a"`t<�y��- Teacher la {��rffs due to undexeniolUnent isthe ratters affectthe - uglify -of da care a_ vailab_le fay..: rmpacts on- oflife availab _ � - .J' - ±''r,. •_ - - ^dy_ py, - _ a -� 3 .:�k,•'. -.mow• vLL l'Mr_. �rA-• _ - y,i. - •�"•�' ~- -�`'� L .u5.:'�' .t °�a tia e• - - :.4��- w�'. 3.;' .. •:d+.�;'•�,:: 4".r: ?n,'.. rk,, .. - ^�.-. ;_:; . .•.�.� ..,:.a.�1�iPA(:.T:o eORANGECO- _ -. -.. _° ___�•- . :�.:.��•._. SST J!�'U ��'•'.•e:::�.'":ra�pv'. - _ - — - ',di_', •v yT,.�: y "4 -_ - - it •F; - _ - c.r.�!•Y'.:- - ��% iM �^ h`•1fi'.+•7x.:. - - - y C- .r!`.•^] "i}Tr '.�'1x'Y."�..�i.M1t.^ +''y' j;..y �`'r _ -_ '. ~ • Parents who are tineinployed or:nndexemplayedYcannotmake significant contnbutioas to the:. "t - aa . tax revenues available to the community.., i - + = Financial pressures in some centers may result in decisions to lower the quality of care • provided for all children and families, moving centers from '"AA" to "A "- licensure status.