The Early Childhood Workforce Should be Included in Emergency Paid Leave and Health Care

As I drove to work this morning, theconversation on my news radio station was around essential positions in ourcommunities. They mentioned hospitals, schools, grocery stores and more.

We must not forget our child care programs andthe early childhood educators who teach and care for our children every day!

As the coronavirus affects all aspects of ourlives, I urge federal, state and local policymakers to consider early childhoodeducators as essential workers in today’s economy. Any measures taken bygovernment to support Americans who do not have paid sick leave, earlychildhood educators must be included. These dedicated teachers are theworkforce that supports all other workforces. With K-12 schools closing, childcare centers must consider whether to remain open and risk exposure or to closeand put their teachers and staff at risk of not being paid. The centers thatchoose to remain open might also be needed to serve additional children.

Early childhood educators are one of thelowest-paid workforces in the U.S., and often do not have paid sick leave orhealth insurance. And yet, this does not reflect their value to our childrenand families. Science tells us the first five years of a child’s life are the most crucial for braindevelopment, setting the architecture for all future learning. “Earlyexperiences affect the development of the brain and lay the foundation forintelligence, emotional health, and moral development,” according to JackShonkoff, director of the Harvard Center on the Developing Child. [1]

“The lack of paid sick days could makecoronavirus harder to contain in the United States compared with othercountries that have universal sick leave policies in place,” Rep. Rosa DeLauro,who chairs the House Appropriations subcommittee overseeing federal healthagencies, said in a statement. “Low-income workers and their families could be hiteven harder by the virus, as low wage jobs are at the forefront of notproviding sick leave benefits.” [2].

“Workers shouldnever be forced to choose between staying home or working while sick to earn aliving,” said Congressman David Price. [3] While it didn’t pass inCongress, Congressman Price co-sponsored Rep. DeLauro’sHealthy Families Act “because we need a national paid sick leave policy to helpfamilies take care of illnesses and the financial burden it may cause. And, itwill help contain the spread of viruses like coronavirus by allowing sickworkers to remain home.” [3]

Early childhood educators ARE essential personnel. If federal, state and local governmentsare going to support essential jobs, we must also support our child care workforceand our early childhood programs.

We hope that North Carolina will considermultiple areas to support programs and families, including:

• Adjusting payment policies so they are based onenrollment of children rather than actual attendance;
• Waiving any state policies that terminate childeligibility based on a specific number of absent days;
• Temporarily suspending redetermination of familyeligibility for child care services;
• Allowing providers to waive co-pays and adjustingreimbursement rates accordingly.

There are many more ways we can support ourcommunities, and we would be happy to work with the state on this. We need to ensurethat we support our early childhood community!

“Everychild deserves the best chance to succeed,” said Gov. Roy Cooper. “That meanswe have to support families, early childhood teachers, and all those who havean impact on early childhood development.” [4]