Historically undervalued and misunderstood, childcare work is the industry behind all other industries, which supports all sectors of work and lays the foundation of children’s future opportunities. Historically, marginalized people have been intentionally deprived of access to high quality, culturally appropriate childcare. From forced assimilation to bias in assessing and addressing the specific needs of Black and Indigenous families, marginalized communities continue to experience disparate outcomes in care. Further, childcare staff are often members of marginalized communities themselves and – women of color, specifically – have been relegated to subsidizing the lack of public investment in the childcare industry where most earn below a living wage. Over time, the disenfranchisement and intentional severance of marginalized communities from community services and resources has led to a racial gap in children and families served. YWCA Columbus pursues policies that systemically support childcare workers, increase access to safe, holistic, and culturally competent childcare, and promote whole-child wellbeing.

Increasing access to childcare is a pivotal tool to improve women’s self-sufficiency, as well as provide high quality care for children. High quality early childhood education and before-and-afterschool programs are integral to the wellbeing and development of our state’s youngest children, as they fare better later in life, from educational and emotional outcomes to career advancement. To achieve this, early childhood education must be seen as a public good and worthy of sustained public investment that does not just focus on affordability for families, but also material support for childcare providers and their employees.

YWCA Columbus serves one of the most vulnerable populations in the Central Ohio region: unhoused children under the age of five. Our Early Childhood Education Center in the Family Center supports children who have lived through significant trauma during a time of extreme transition. Childcare staff serve a pivotal role in providing both empathetic and trauma-sensitive care, and essential resources that support their well-being and growth.

Informed by our experiences, we advocate for a world in which families have their childcare needs met, employers can offer and sustainably manage high quality programs, and employees can earn equitable wages. We envision a world in which we have a fully funded universal early care system that supports families’ needs regardless of income or childcare preferences; where childcare is seen as a basic right and necessary societal good for all; where every child is equipped with high quality Pre-K and before-and-after school care so they can be kindergarten-ready and build strong foundations for families to thrive.

How we believe we achieve this:

• Child-centered, holistic, culturally competent and appropriate programming for all children

• Universal childcare, Pre-K, and early childhood education to ensure all children are ready for kindergarten

• Universal, high quality, affordable, and accessible before-and-after-school care for all

• A strong Step Up to Quality program and higher eligibility and reimbursement rates under Publicly Funded Child Care (PFCC), including support and subsidies to increase quality ratings

• Pay parity between early childhood and K-12 teachers, and equitably and sustainably resourcing the industry as a whole

• Culturally competent and inclusive caregiving policies

• Representation of Black and brown families in policymaking and advocacy action

• Policies that subsidize the cost of raising children, including expansion of the Child Tax Credit

• Fully funded maternal, infant, and child healthcare