Comments on the South Carolina Birth to 5 Plan

SC Birth to 5 Plan Draft Comments 9–22–21

It is wonderful to see the report compiled by the Council advocating for a more comprehensive approach to our youngest South Carolinians and their families, but what stood out to me most while reviewing the document was that — while there were a couple references to child care professionals — there is not enough emphasis on the importance of child care professionals and their overall well-being in the plan.

One of the findings from my research with child care professionals indicates that they are a stigmatized population. Not only are child care professionals subjected to negative societal treatment based on their chosen profession, but also detriments to their personal quality of life, including having to work additional jobs to supplement their low wages and lack of access to basic benefits such as employer-supported health care. Over 50% of the sample in my study indicated having to work supplementary jobs, and over 50% reported reliance upon a spouse to make ends meet and stay in the profession and for health access due to the fact that health insurance was too expensive or unavailable from their employers. Not only is there a lack of access to living wages and health care — which are two of the top factors that lead to turnover in child care — but there is also a lack of access to any type of paid leave. Although there is a mention of compensation in 3.5.3 on p. 21, the report demonstrates a general oversight of specific attention to child care professionals as a critical factor in early childhood. Child care professional wellbeing directly affects children and their families, and therefore deserves inclusion within definitions and considerations throughout the report. For example, on p.12, child care professional wellbeing is not included as one of the metrics for making sure children are healthy and safe. The most important example of why child care professional wellbeing should be listed here is the fact that they are the caring adult interacting with a child each day while parents work, and if they are not well, they cannot provide the developmentally-appropriate serve and return relationship that children need.

In addition to child care professionals deserving a more prominent role in the report, it is important to include the importance of response and allocation of funds from the American Rescue Plan Act to child care, and especially to child care workers, who must get to work each day and put the health of themselves and their families at risk without proper access to health care.

I have several pages of notes on the report if anyone is interested, as well as a dissertation on child care professionals’ everyday lives, but this is the most pressing issue that I wish to raise within my three minute time allotment. Thank you for your time, and I welcome any questions.