The wages of caregivers must be raised in order to raise the
quality of care for children and the elderly, according to a panel of experts
convened by the Center for Policy Alternatives on June 1. CPA’s State
Issues Forum – Improving the Quality of Child & Elder Care by Investing in
Wage and Career Ladders discussed proposals to increase compensation for
caregivers in order to improve the quality of care received.
Studies show that quality care is directly correlated to the
wages and benefits of care providers. The current rate in most states for
childcare workers is less than $7.00 an hour, which means a lower level of care
for children and the elderly. An additional component of good care is the
consistency of the caregiver. However, due to low wages turnover currently
exceeds 40%.
The panel discussed several initiatives that aim to increase
quality care by increasing wages. One program, Washington State’s Early
Childhood Education Career Ladder and the King County Wage Incentive Program,
incorporates wage increments for childcare providers based on experience,
responsibility, and education. Funding for this career ladder is shared between
childcare centers and other private entities, and state and local governments in
a public/private partnership. "If we value our children, we must also value
their caregivers. A public investment in training and wages of child care
providers is an essential component of any campaign to increase the quality of
care for our children," affirms Dr. Tuominen.
A second program addresses the lack of health insurance
benefits for more than 80% of childcare providers and home health care workers.
In 1996, due to the efforts of the Providence-based grassroots organization
DARE, the State of Rhode Island began providing health insurance to family
childcare providers who provide care for state-subsidized, low-income families.
This reduces the costs of health insurance to these workers meaning higher net
income, less turnover and better quality care.
Finally, a third program organizes childcare and home care
providers into unions that then push collectively for action. Currently, only
four percent of the childcare workforce nationwide participates in such
organizations. Successful childcare providers’ unions have been established in
Seattle, WA, and Philadelphia, PA, and recently SEIU organized homecare workers
in Los Angeles who fought to increase compensation and benefits.
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