Tell Gov. Newsom to Protect Child Care

Friday, September 25, 2020

With so much happening right now, we wanted to give you an update on our current talks with the state regarding COVID-19 protections for California child care providers. 

5,144 providers have closed their doors in 2020 — 210 in the last week alone. Child care is in crisis, providers are closing their doors every single day, and families are losing essential early education. Enough is enough.

CCPU members met with state leaders twice this month to share the immense struggles providers are facing due to COVID-19, and suggest additional solutions to quell this crisis. We hoped they would be ready to partner with us. Unfortunately, they did not. We must take action. Call Governor Newsom and tell him to protect child care in California NOW. 

Call #: 1-866-584-5792

Here’s an example of what you can say: 

Providers:

Governor Newsom, my name is ________________ and I’m a child care provider from _______County.

Over 5,000 child care providers in California have closed their doors this year, unable to shoulder additional costs due to the pandemic, such as increased safety protections and needed investments in distance learning. 

Providers like me are in crisis. We need your help to stay open so that California’s other essential workers can continue fighting against COVID-19, and so that none of our children fall further behind. We need the state to reimburse us for all days we need to close due to COVID, fully fund child care including family fees that are waived, and increase funding for school-age children as we support distance learning in our child cares. 

As governor, you have a long history of supporting early childhood care and education, and we need you to take action now. Our lives and our livelihoods are at stake, and we urge you to work with child care providers immediately to develop real solutions to these problems.

Parents:

 “Governor Newsom, my name is ________________ and my child receives care from a child care provider from ___________ County.

Over 5,000 child care providers in California have closed their doors this year, unable to shoulder additional costs due to the pandemic, such as increased safety protections and needed investments in distance learning. 

Working families like mine are in crisis. We need your help to keep our provider’s doors open so that California’s essential workers can continue fighting against COVID-19, and so that none of our children fall further behind. We need the state to reimburse childcare providers for all days they need to close due to COVID, fully fund child care including family fees that are waived, and increase funding for school-age children as providers support distance learning in our child cares. 

As governor, you have a long history of supporting early childhood care and education, and we need you to take action now. Our lives and our livelihoods are at stake, and we urge you to work with child care providers immediately to develop real solutions to these problems.”