Photo courtesy of Alexius Horatius
BARNSTABLE – Dozens of Cape and Islands parents, caregivers, early educators, early education and childcare providers, business leaders, and advocates spoke recently in favor of legislation that would help make high quality early education and childcare affordable and accessible to all Massachusetts families.
A meeting at the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce included Plymouth/Barnstable State Senator Susan Moran, First Barnstable State Representatives Chris Flanagan and Barnstable/Dukes/Nantucket State Representative Dylan Fernandes.
“The cost of childcare here on Cape Cod is significant and very challenging for families like mine to afford. During my 8 years of paying for full time childcare, on average we were paying $1,800 a month for full time care, 12 months of each year,” said Sara Gramback, a Barnstable parent, in a statement.
“I currently work at a local community health center that has approximately 100 employees, most of whom are women, many of whom are raising children and growing their families. When our staff do not have sufficient care for their families, they can’t come to work. When our providers can’t come to the health center, patients can’t be seen for critical care,” Gramback said.
Local members of the Common Start Coalition, a diverse group of more than 170 organizations and thousands of individuals focused on establishing a system of affordable, high-quality early education and child care for Massachusetts families, discussed how funding from the Legislature has helped stabilize our state’s child care system over the past two years.
Flanagan agreed that the cost of childcare is nearly impossible to manage and said that both he and his wife work two jobs to pay for childcare for their three children.
Speakers also addressed the work that is needed to solidify and build on the progress we’ve made in recent years and make high-quality early education and childcare truly affordable and accessible to all Massachusetts families.
By Zack Clapp, CapeCod.com Newscenter
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