Fund For Affordable Child Care Proposed

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Legislation introduced by San Francisco Supervisor Norman Yee would create an infant and toddler education fund to help expand access to affordable childcare for children under three.

The fund is intended to provide grants to early childcare providers to expand the number of spaces available for infant and toddler childcare, Yee said.

The program is modeled on the city's Preschool for All program, which provides subsidized preschool for 4 year olds, and is expected to support both low and moderate income families.

Childcare, like housing, is expensive in San Francisco and demand is high for affordable options, especially for younger children. The city's Office of Early Care and Education reports that as of August, 51 percent of
those on a waiting list for childcare slots were children under the age of 3.

Yee said the need for affordable childcare is one of the problems driving families out of the city.

"We're working on affordable housing, but that other part of this is that parents with younger children can't afford to stay here," Yee said.

Sources of funding are still being identified for the fund, Yee said.

— Bay City News; Image via Pixabay