The plan includes $25 billion to upgrade child care facilities and combat child care deserts

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact: Suzanne Arnold, [email protected], (609) 610-4957 (M)

Washington, D.C. (March 31, 2021) – Save the Children – together with its political advocacy arm, Save the Children Action Network (SCAN) – applauds the proposed child care investments in the American Jobs Plan, released today by the Biden administration. The plan calls on Congress to provide $25 billion to modernize child care infrastructure, upgrading facilities to ensure they meet health and safety requirements, and increasing the number of centers across the country, particularly in child care deserts. Not only does the plan call for increased supply, but it also incentivizes businesses to build on-site child care facilities for their employees.

“The child care industry was struggling before COVID, and well over half of child care providers across America had to close their doors at the start of the pandemic. Additionally, too many children attend child care centers that are unsafe and pose health risks,” said Janti Soeripto, President and CEO of Save the Children. “Save the Children commends the Biden administration for the child care provisions in the American Jobs Plan. They will help ensure parents have many more safe options across America for their children to learn and develop in quality child care settings.”  

“Including such a robust investment in child care infrastructure is unprecedented. Finally, child care is being treated as the essential industry that it is,” said Mark Shriver, President of Save the Children Action Network (SCAN). “As COVID-19 has proved, child care is essential to getting parents back in the workforce, and to getting the economy back on its feet. This plan is a crucial step in the right direction, and I’m hopeful that Congress will put aside party politics and do what’s right for the American people by supporting this plan.”

SCAN will now begin to mobilize its more than 375,000 grassroots advocates in support of the American Jobs Plan, particularly the provision of $25 billion for child care infrastructure.

 

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Save the Children Action Network was created in 2014 as the political advocacy arm of Save the Children, to be the political voice for kids. We work to ensure that the issues critical to children’s lives and futures are given top priority by our elected leaders, building bipartisan support to make sure every child has a strong start in life. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.