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First Things First — Volunteer opportunity and the starting lines of kindergarten

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News and happenings about First Things First

January 2024
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Volunteer to be a voice for young children in your Arizona community
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Helping Arizona understand the starting lines of kindergarten
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Early childhood supporters show up in force at the Arizona Capitol
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News Round-Up

News about early childhood around Arizona and across the U.S.
Hobbs hopes new child care funding will ‘pay off’ through the workforce
Arizona Mirror, Jan. 23Arizona families are struggling to find affordable and reliable child care, and when there’s no one to watch the kids, the state’s economy takes a hit – as parents are forced to miss work or leave the workforce entirely to care for them. This issue continues to cost Arizona families $3 billion annually in forgone earnings. That’s why, with hopes of bolstering Arizona’s families and workforce, Gov. Katie Hobbs is asking lawmakers to spend $100 million on the state’s Child Care Assistance program in her budget proposal for the next fiscal year.
Arizona parents endure cold nights in quest for quality preschool as state faces child care crisis
Hoodline, Jan. 17
The crippling gap in childcare resources is not only a result of economic factors but also stems from an ongoing teacher shortage and low salaries within the sector. These issues contribute to long waitlists at highly-rated preschools, leaving many families struggling to find suitable options. The Child Care Demand Study by First Things First corroborates this need, revealing that parents across Arizona rely on a mix of child care arrangements, often seeking better alternatives or adjusting to new circumstances.
What the child care crisis does to parents
The New York Times, Jan. 16
Research from the pandemic — when families across the world suddenly lost access to child care — continues to suggest links between the additional load of caregiving responsibility and mental health disorders like anxiety and depression, especially for mothers. And inadequate child care intensifies other stressors affecting health as well.
Mississippi child care workers barely earn ‘survival wages’
The Hechinger Report, Dec. 7
Mississippi child care workers are strained by low pay and lack of training — but an additional $5 an hour in salary would prompt around half of those workers to stay in their jobs and to seek additional education, according to a new survey by state child care advocates.
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