Georgia child care can be safer, even more affordable

By Carolyn Salvador

The 6-month-old baby who died last week while under the care of a sitter operating in a Riverdale hotel room is a tragic reminder of the perils of improperly supervised child care. Safety is a high priority for parents seeking child care. Unfortunately, when selecting child care that fits their budget, parents may unintentionally be putting their children’s safety at risk by placing them with unlicensed providers.

The state of Georgia requires those caring for three or more unrelated children to obtain a license with the Department of Early Care and Learning. Licensed child care providers are mandated to meet strict health and safety standards, perform background checks on all employees and provide ongoing teacher training in early education as well as first aid and CPR. They must adhere to a myriad of other rules and regulations put in place to protect children. They also are required to provide an enriched learning environment, nutritional meals and positive caregiver interaction.

Informal “family homes” that don’t trigger state licensing requirements or are operating illegally often do not meet the most basic health and safety standards and do not receive inspections to ensure the children are properly cared for. Licensed centers are subject to surprise visits from state licensing experts. While unlicensed care may seem like an affordable alternative, a recent study by the National Bureau of Economic Research showed that low-income children, most often placed in unlicensed care, are 1.7 times more likely to be seriously injured or die in these lower-quality care situations.

The Georgia Child Care Association advocates three balanced principles for excellent child care in Georgia: high quality, affordability and accessibility for parents. Thankfully, Georgia has one of the most affordable child care systems in the country, ranking ninth out of 50 states in a recent national affordability survey. Keeping care affordable for parents is fundamentally important to keeping children in a safer, licensed care environment.

Regulations can go too far. University studies show that states with the most burdensome licensed child care regulations have the most expensive child care. For example, New York, which is highly regulated, ranks as the least affordable state. New York infant care costs more than double what the typical Georgia family pays. The result of higher regulations is an increase in quality but a decrease in affordability, resulting in widespread cheaper but unsafe, unlicensed care. Ironically, low-income children, who could benefit the most from licensed care, are more likely to leave licensed child care programs in response to stricter child care regulations, because the additional rules almost always result in higher costs and fees.

Georgia can increase quality without decreasing affordability and accessibility by using incentives, not mandates. Florida’s “Gold Seal” program recognizes accredited child care centers and guides parents to high-quality child care. Empowering parents with better information about quality licensed care will allow quality child care providers to thrive.

Carolyn Salvador is executive director of the Georgia Child Care Association.