Statement from President Pro Tem Brown on COVID-19 Childcare Reopenings
[COLUMBUS, OH] The following statement can be attributed in full, or in part, to Columbus City Council President Pro Tem Elizabeth Brown:
“Today’s decision on the re-opening of childcare facilities is a positive step toward ensuring working families have access to daily care for their children as folks return to work. But the bottom line is that many parents will likely still be waiting on care when, come
May 31st, childcare centers will be open for business under the new safety regulations.
 “With limitations on their size and service model, centers could be set up for difficult choices: which children to care for and which to turn away, all while under enormous pressure to meet their bottom line. We cannot afford to lose our childcare educators, and additional state and federal aid are needed to prevent drastic closures (some studies have shown COVID-19’s impact could close 45 percent of centers). “High-quality early childhood education remains one of the best economic development tools we have, now and for the future, and it’s in the state’s interest to dedicate additional resources to ensure we protect this critical infrastructure. Now more than ever, we are understanding what has been true all along: quality childcare is and should be treated as part of the public infrastructure.” ### |