SAN DIEGO — San Diego County Supervisors Terra Lawson-Remer and Nora Vargas Monday announced a proposal intended to increase the number of childcare providers in the county and enhance the capabilities of existing providers.
The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously in favor of the proposal on Tuesday.
At the County Administration Center on Monday morning, the supervisors explained how their proposal has been "crafted to enhance the infrastructure needs for new and existing child care providers and family child care homes and create a pilot program to implement an emergency child care flex system for county employees," a statement from the officials reads.
“We are taking action on the recommendations in our Childcare Blueprint. It is a big win for San Diego County parents, children and childcare providers,” said Supervisor Lawson-Remer, a mother to a 4-year-old daughter. “Taking this important step forward will not only benefit our region this year but for many years to come. We are building long-term capacity in childcare, its workforce and giving greater support to our essential workers. That is a good use of our County resources.”
According to the proposal, 77% of parents in the county struggle to find child care, many providers have lengthy wait lists and whole swathes of the county do not have adequate -- or any -- providers.
"We must value the entrepreneurial spirit of childcare providers and remove barriers to help them succeed, to ensure childcare professionals have the training and development needed to provide a safe environment for children. This addresses immediate childcare needs for County employees and is a good way to demonstrate and emphasize that childcare is a pillar of economic development,” Chairwoman Vargas said. “This is how we’re going to make a difference.”
"Childcare is not a child issue and it is not a women's issue," Lawson-Remer said. "Child care is an economic issue."
Also speaking at the news conference Monday were representatives from the county's Child Care and Development Council.
"The San Diego County Child Care Blueprint framework is crucial for addressing critical needs, overcoming challenges and supporting children, families, and the early learning and care workforce," said Dezerie Martinez, coordinator for early education special projects at the San Diego County Office of Education, who oversees the Child Care and Development Local Planning Council.
WATCH RELATED: San Diego Sheriff's Department partnering with local company to help employees find childcare