[INSPRATIONAL MUSIC STING] - Hi everyone, Steve Adubato.

We kick off the program talking about a really important topic we've talked about before, affordable, accessible, quality childcare.

And we're honored to be joined by Atiya Weiss, Executive Director of the Burke Foundation, and Debra Lancaster, Executive Director of the Center for Women and Work at Rutgers University.

They are both co-founders of the First 1000 Days Policy Coalition.

Right out of the box, Atiya, tell us what the Coalition is and why it's so important.

- Yeah, thanks Steve.

You know, we at the Burke Foundation have been, we were founded by Jim Burke, longtime CEO of Johnson & Johnson, who cared deeply about children, especially mothers and babies.

So we've been investing over the last five years in mothers and children in New Jersey and have made a lot of progress by investing in doulas, working with the Murphy administration to get every new family a newborn nurse that visits the mom and baby shortly after birth.

So we're seeing some great progress, fewer preterm births, less costly healthcare interventions, and mothers having better healthcare when they're giving birth.

We know that investing in this very pivotal time for children and for families is so important, and that's why we also wanna continue building a movement for affordable quality childcare in New Jersey.

And for the very first time, we've brought together New Jersey advocates, researchers and leaders like Deb, nonprofits, philanthropic entities to come out with a unified agenda for children and families in New Jersey.

- Well said, and let's do this.

I talked about people watching.

So for those watching, Deb, right now, explain to them why a Rutgers University scholar as the Executive Director of the Center for Women and Work, why you and the university and your Center would be involved in a Coalition of the First 1000 Days, I believe, from pregnancy, and Atiya, let me get this right, to age two?

- Second birthday.

- Second birthday.

Go ahead, Deb, jump in.

Debra, excuse me.

- Yeah, so, sure.

So for over 30 years, the Center for Women and Work has been committed to excellence in research and programming that advances women's equity in our communities and in the economy, and we know that childcare is linked very closely to that both, and so we're looking at this both as the childcare workforce, which has challenges, and thinking about families having challenges accessing childcare in our state.

But the other reason we're involved in addition to, we think this is the type of programming and policies that advance equity is that it's also a, we know that when families have access to affordable quality childcare, that there's enough research evidence out there now that we know it's good for kids, it's good for families, and it's good for the economy, and so that's the real reason we're involved.

- And Atiya, let me ask you this.

We've been doing this programming for several years now around childcare, affordable, accessible childcare.

To what degree, Atiya, do you believe this is largely, it's no one sector is involved, which is why the Coalition has so many different players from so many different places involved.

How much of this, from your perspective and from the Burke Foundation's perspective, Atiya, is a question of government policy, state and federal government policy?

- Yeah, it's a great question, Steve.

I think the demand is there.

We know that this is a very important issue for working families.

Families spend something like 20% of their income on childcare.

Too many live in childcare deserts in New Jersey, and those that are low paid are more likely to lose their job due to the lack of childcare.

So absolutely policy, our government officials, the state, federal government, they're at the center of this.

We need to make greater investments in childcare, and one of the things that we want to do in partnership with the Coalition after, as they're developing a wonderful plan for childcare, is get this on the agenda for the gubernatorial race coming up, get it onto the election cycle.

We wanna make sure, like you've been doing, pressing our elected officials on what their positions are around childcare and what they're gonna do about it.

- To Atiya's point, check out our website.

We've interviewed so far virtually every candidate, major party candidate, for the governorship.

That's 2025.

We've asked them about childcare, not just generically, but what specifically would you do if you were a governor as it relates to making childcare more accessible, affordable, quality childcare.

A real issue.

Continue to watch those interviews.

Debra, let me bring you back into this from a Rutgers perspective.

How much of improving the childcare situation in the State of New Jersey is also a quality of the research?

Meaning a lot of research has been done already.

Anecdotally, we know it's true.

We had a member of the legislature, Al Barlas, check out that interview, he said $30,000 for childcare for their two kids.

He goes, he said, "Steve, that money," he can relatively afford it, but the truth is, he said it should be going to other things.

Translation, we know it anecdotally.

How much more research needs to be done?

- I don't, you know, I think part of what we're doing here is putting together a repository of existing research that's already been done, both in New Jersey and around, and also looking at other states and jurisdictions around our country, looking at the innovations that have taken place that are having an impact.

So, I think that that's, when we say research, it's not necessarily, and we are doing a bunch of primary data collection on other projects that are related to this work that will certainly inform this work, but I think one of our roles is kind of bringing together that existing research already and disseminating it in a way that policy makers and Coalition members can get their heads around.

So it's kind of, you know, we don't need 50-page papers, but like a two-page fact sheet.

And you know, just an example, right, so is, you know, sometimes if you're looking at graphs and charts, you know, they don't mean a lot, which is why we also need people's lived experience.

You know, your eyes can glare over them after a while.

But if you picture a three-member household in New Jersey.

You know, one parent's a certified nursing assistant, one parent's working full-time in one of these warehouses that we have in New Jersey, and their average, their income, combined income is about 80K.

That family, assuming they're welcoming, let's say they're welcoming a new child, they take advantage of our wonderful paid family leave program in New Jersey.

So they've been home a few months with their child and they're looking for childcare for a six-month-old.

That family will pay well over 20% of their household income and there's no support available for a family like that in our state, which is really the large majority of our families.

And so I think that helps paint a picture, and that's the kind of like, we have the research and let's put this into real terms that folks can understand because we're really trying to get at some innovative solutions here that will really support families that are struggling right now.

- So Atiya, I wanna follow up on the point that Debra just made.

She also mentioned other states.

To what degree do you have a sense?

I mean, this is what you and the foundation do, the Burke Foundation.

Let me also disclose that Turrell has been a long-time underwriter of our programming around childcare.

I just wanna fully disclose that for transparency purposes, but I'm also curious about this.

To what degree are you finding, we traveled to a couple of other states to try to find out who's doing what.

Are there other states that are getting this, I don't wanna say right, but doing it better, and if so, what are those things?

- Yeah, thanks Steve.

A big part of this Coalition in terms of coming together is being creative and looking around the country to see what else is going on.

What I think is exciting is that childcare is becoming a national topic.

It's becoming a visible issue everywhere.

People, businesses are realizing they can't work without parents and parents can't work without childcare.

It makes good sense.

And what we're seeing and what I really appreciate about Deb's leadership and the research coming outta Rutgers, what's going on in other states that we're learning about.

So, a state like Vermont, they have made this their signature issue.

You know, it's the Republicans, Democrats, it's a bipartisan issue.

They don't want anyone in the state paying more than 7% on childcare, and they're getting it done.

- Seven?

- Deb just said 20%.

Go ahead, Atiya.

- Yeah.

- Yeah, I mean, we gotta find the right targets that makes sense for New Jersey.

And through this process, through talking with providers, talking with parents and marrying that with the data around what does the state of childcare look like in New Jersey, we do hope to come up with some great recommendations as part of this Coalition.

- And also check out previous interviews we've done with State Senator Teresa Ruiz, who's been a leader.

There have been other legislators, but Senator Ruiz has been the most significant outspoken legislator on this issue.

It's personal and it's legislative and professional for her.

Check out the interview.

She has a package of legislation on this.

Learn about what that is and learn about what your legislator is doing or not doing in that regard.

Deb, final word on this.

How confident are you that we're gonna make through the Coalition's work the First 1000 Days Policy Coalition and others who care about this issue, that we're gonna make real, sustainable, impactful progress around childcare, Deb, Debra?

- I am fairly confident that we are gonna make some progress.

You know, this is an issue, you know, the COVID crisis is over, but during that crisis, I had an opportunity, as many of our Coalition members did as well, and people that have been advocating for childcare for decades were down at the Legislature meeting with bipartisan groups of policy makers, and it's clearly an issue that people are ready to work together across the aisle.

It's an issue where never of a time have I heard more policymakers across the aisle exchanging stories about their own childcare- - Their own experiences.

- From 20 years ago.

Some of their current childcare crises, but also the childcare that they see their children and grandchildren- - That's right.

- you know, confronting, and many of them themselves jumping in to support their children and being sticker, you know, having sticker shock at the cost.

It's not just the cost, it's the availability, quite frankly.

We were one of the slowest to recover during the pandemic.

You know, following the pandemic, New Jersey's childcare workforce really lagged behind, and we know that's because of the challenges with wages and compensation, even when they are well-educated.

And compared to their public school peers, they make low wages that make it challenging for them to live in our state.

And I think we're ready for some change and ready to kind of put our heads together and think about, what are the right kinds of investments that we can make in New Jersey?

- Well, to Debra and to Atiya, I wanna thank you for joining us.

They are both co-founders of the First 1000 Days Policy Coalition.

I assure you that our programming will continue to create greater public awareness, create a dialogue, a meaningful dialogue so that people can really not just complain about the childcare situation, but let's see what policy makers are willing to do.

Atiya and Debra, thank you so much for joining us, and we appreciate everyone continuing this conversation.

Stay with us, we'll be right back.

- [Narrator] State of Affairs with Steve Adubato is a production of the Caucus Educational Corporation.

Celebrating 30 years in public broadcasting.

Funding has been provided by Johnson & Johnson.

The Turrell Fund, a foundation serving children.

The Fidelco Group.

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority.

Atlantic Health System.

New Jersey Children’s Foundation.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

New Jersey’s Clean Energy program.

And by NJM Insurance Group.

Promotional support provided by Meadowlands Chamber.

And by New Jersey Monthly.

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