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Trump signs order seeking to end federal funding for NPR and PBS; NY immigrant wrongfully sent to El Salvador 'supermax' prison; PA 'Day of Action' planned for higher minimum wage, immigrants' rights; New bill in Congress seeks to overturn CA animal welfare law.

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National Security Advisor Mike Waltz is leaving that job to become UN ambassador, bipartisan Arizona poll finds Latino voters dissatisfied by Trump's first 100 days, and Florida mass deportations frighten community members.

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Rural students who face hurdles going to college are getting noticed, Native Alaskans may want to live off the land but obstacles like climate change loom large, and the Cherokee language is being preserved by kids in North Carolina.

Access to Care Among WA Children's Biggest Challenges

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Wednesday, June 14, 2023   

Washington state fares well in a new report released on child well-being, but is facing important challenges in child care.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation's annual Kids Count Data Book ranks the state 16th overall. The ranking is based on four indicators: economic well-being, education, health and family and community.

Stephan Blanford, executive director of the Seattle-based Children's Alliance, said the state made a billion-dollar investment in early learning in 2021 and it has brought some help, but Washington still has child care "deserts."

"They have to go long distances in order to get access to that child care," Blanford pointed out. "In many cases, parents, frequently moms, are making choices to not rejoin the workforce as a result."

The cost of child care is a major issue around the country. Washington state ranks highest in health in the report, at sixth. It ranks 28th in education, its lowest ranking.

Blanford noted many child care providers are women of color, who on average earn between 73% and 81% of what their white peers earn.

"As long as you have a significant sector of the child care provider population where there's that much of a disparity, we're never going to be able to get ourselves out of this situation," Blanford contended.

Leslie Boissiere, vice president of external affairs for the Annie E. Casey Foundation, said children, parents and the economy need affordable, accessible and quality child care in order to flourish. She stressed families across the country face significant barriers to this.

"Infant care is the most expensive, and it is actually higher than in-state college tuition in 34 states," Boissiere reported. "The affordability for families is a huge challenge. And at the same time, early child care workers are among the lowest paid in the country."

Disclosure: The Annie E. Casey Foundation contributes to our fund for reporting on Children's Issues, Education, Juvenile Justice, and Welfare Reform. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


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