Curious why President Biden’s infrastructure proposal, the “American Jobs Plan,” includes provisions on childcare and home-based care? Like bridges and roads, robust care networks are critical to both connect people to economic opportunities and to support people, including care workers, to enable them thrive. Because care workers are usually women, often women of color and immigrants, this support is also crucial to address structural inequality in the United States.
Even before Covid-19, there was a care crisis in this country. People cannot afford high quality childcare and often cannot find it even if they have means. Home care is also often extremely expensive. Many lack insurance that will cover it and do not have the ability to pay the out-of- pocket expenses. Recent concerns have also been raised about the formation of home care deserts. Home care workers were and still are amongst the lowest paid workers in the economy making on average less than $13.50 an hour for extremely challenging work. Child care workers on average earn less than $12.50. Covid-19 has only made things worse.
Parents need access to reliable, high-quality childcare in order to work. The American Jobs Plan includes investments to improve existing childcare facilities. It includes tax credits for businesses who build on-site childcare facilities. Lastly, it includes a fund that will enable states to build the supply of child care in areas with unmet needs.
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