Child care development is a key issue.

The National Association of State Child Care Administrators has been spending a considerable amount of time in recent months developing messages for Congress and the new administration on the dual purposes of child care that need to be considered when developing state Child Care and Development Fund policies.

In previous years, the message was more about meeting parents' needs to find someone to watch their children while they worked. However, research has shown that when children are well cared for while parents are away at work, parents' work schedules are more effectively supported and their children are more likely to be supported in their developmental growth. When we remember that CCDF resources touch families with the most risk factors in their lives, this strategic investment takes on even more importance.

Toward this end, the NASCCA/APHSA recommendations in Focal Point include support for increased CCDF funding so that states can develop program policies that address the needs of both parents and children. Recommendations also call for continued support for research, better support for partnerships in policy development and strategic use of public investments. We urge you to take the time to read the whole document for greater detail. The full document is available at http://www.unityofpurpose.org

Our committee chair, Cherie Kotilinek, and vice chair, Lynette Rasmussen, took this message to the policy conference in Nashville in early December and felt it was well received by many of the participants.

National Association of State Child Care Administrators an affiliate of the American Public Human Services Association