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Cost of Care: A new survey by family care platform Care.com gives insight into the cost of childcare throughout the country, and how families are responding. Of the 4,000 families surveyed, almost half spend 15% or more of their household income on child-care costs, which is considered unaffordable by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, reports U.S. News and World Report. Families are accommodating the costs by saving less, working less, spending less and having fewer children, said Care.com in a press release. The compromises also come as a shock to many families. Two-thirds of expecting parents told Care.com they thought the price of raising a newborn child wouldn’t affect their career choices, reports MarketWatch.
Pre-K Prep: KPCC early childhood reporter Priska Neely was featured on NPR Weekend Edition Saturday, promoting tips on how to help little ones avoid “the summer slide,” or the tendency for kids to lose what they learned in preschool. Neely interviewed Jennifer Ramirez, a child development expert with the LA County Office of Education, who shared the following suggestions for parents: strive to read 20 minutes a day; keep kids stimulated both physically and mentally; and turn everyday moments into learning opportunities. Ramirez also reminds listeners that, “putting this work in early can make a big difference down the line.”
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Sugary Drinks: As California continues to try and fail to impact obesity rates by limiting the sugar in our diets, Latin American countries have managed to pass laws that curb unhealthy food habits, especially for kids, reports the Washington Post. In Chile, advertisements for foods high in sugar, sodium and fat are now banned from television and theaters between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., and foods over a certain sugar/fat level must carry a warning label. Mexico imposes a 10% tax on sugary drinks and junk food. Californians are not giving up however, as just this week several organizations including the American Heart Association, announced that they are joining forces to push for a statewide tax on sugar-sweetened beverages, reports EdSource. “..[K]ids on average drink up to a bath tub of sugary drinks per year…,” said Dr. John Maa, chairman of the American Heart Association’s California Advocacy Committee, explaining why the tax is so urgent.
Gun Laws and Children: Children living in states with stricter gun control laws are less likely to die from gun violence, according to a new study published in Pediatrics, reports TIME. Guns are the second leading cause of death for children after car accidents in the United States, and the report suggests that tightening gun restriction laws will help prevent gun-related deaths in children. This conclusion aligns with previous research that equates stricter gun control laws with fewer deaths overall, as reported in Bloomberg. The National Rifle Association disagrees with the findings, saying in an official statement that the new report is “more propaganda than scientific research” due to the fact that it only measures data from a five-year period, as reported in The Hill.
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Investing in Birth: Tennis Star Serena Williams and businessman/investor Mark Cuban announced this week they are joining a $3 million investment round for tech startup Mahmee, which is working to impact the maternal mortality crisis, writes Forbes. The startup is building the digital infrastructure that allows hospitals, doctors, health systems, and maternity providers to carefully manage a mother's pre- and postnatal care journey. ”Mahmee is the glue that connects the care ecosystem and closes the gaps,” said founder and CEO Melissa Hanna, started the company in 2014, inspired by her mother who is a lactation and maternal health pioneer.
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Politics and Current Events
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Caretaker EITC: Democrats in Congress are pushing a new tax credit that would benefit unpaid, full-time caretakers, reports Vox. Known as the “Caretaker Earned Income Tax Credit” the proposal would expand the existing Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) to include people who provide unpaid, full-time care for children and vulnerable adults. Presently, the EITC is for parents who make a combined income of at least $14,570. This excludes the estimated 11 million parents who don’t work for a wage or families where one spouse stays at home while the other works. Proponents of the Caretaker EITC argue that it would benefit both political sides, with social conservatives receiving a benefit that subsidizes families where mothers choose not to work, and liberals getting a cash safety net that would benefit extremely poor parents who can’t find jobs.
Immigration and Children
At least 18 migrant children under 2 were separated from their parents for three weeks or more -- this was one of many revelations in a report released by a House committee last Friday, according to The New York Times. The report’s findings were gleaned from records subpoenaed by the House Oversight and Reform Committee on at least 2,654 children. The report set the tone for a hearing on the administration’s “zero tolerance” policy. In the hearing, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez –– who toured the facilities last month –– denounced the administration's actions led by White House advisor Steven Miller as “a policy of dehumanization,” as reported by Politico. Republican lawmakers disputed the hearing’s negative depictions of the facilities and blamed Democrats for not heeding GOP’s warnings about a surge of immigrants that has led to the dangerous overcrowding.
The House report comes alongside news of the federal government quietly expanding their detention facilities to privately-run centers where children are often isolated, sick and unaccompanied by a parent, according to records obtained by The Center for Investigative Reporting. At a private shelter run by Heartland Human Care Services, as many as 15 of the 400 children are without a parent and officials are reporting an unprecedented outbreak of contagious illnesses, as reported by ProPublica. News of the unsanitary “cage-like” conditions at the border detention facilities has been a media focus for weeks, and the Trump administration has reportedly agreed to let an independent child health specialist conduct a review of centers, according to The Hill.
Related opinion piece: The Washington Post: Whom do we call to report the mistreatment of children by the federal government?
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Unspoken Stories: The March of Dimes, which is leading the fight against infant and maternal mortality and premature birth, has launched a new podcast titled, "Unspoken Stories." Described as "honest stories of pregnancy, parenthood and loss are too often left unshared," the podcast shares stories of loss as well as joy. Fast Company wrote about the new resource, and shared a quote from actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler, who was interviewed for the podcast: “Just knowing what other people go through, it just makes you feel exponentially better. And you don’t feel so isolated.” Go to UnSpokenStories.org to learn more.
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Join the Movement: The Los Angles County African American Infant and Maternal Mortality Initiative has launched a Facebook page! This coalition of leaders are addressing the unacceptably high rates of Black infant and maternal deaths in Los Angeles County. Like their Facebook page and stay up-to-date on how they are making a difference ways to get involved!
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August 3- August 29 -- Chocolate Milk: The Documentary Screening and Town Hall August 2019 hosted by by BreastfeedLA and iDREAM for Racial Health Equity, multiple locations. Free, click here to register.
August 26 -- 400 Years: Reflections on Lessons Learned & Imagining Our Futures, 8:00 a.m. – 6 p.m., The California Endowment 1000 N. Alameda St. Los Angeles, CA 90012. $75, click here to register.
September 18 -- Learners Today, Leaders Tomorrow 2019 Summit, 8:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m., Long Beach Marriott 4700 Airport Plaza Drive Long Beach, CA 90815. Registration $100, click here to register.
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ICYMI: In Case You Missed It, More Great Reads
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