- [Narrator] Funding for this edition of Think Tank with Steve Adubato has been provided by The Turrell Fund, supporting Reimagine Childcare.

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[MOTIVATIONAL MUSIC] - Hi folks, I'm Steve Adubato.

I recently moderated an important, compelling conversation, and it's called the Reimagined Childcare Town Hall Meeting around the childcare crisis.

That crisis involves staffing.

That crisis involves access, affordability.

There's been a childcare crisis going on for a long time, the pandemic has only made it worse.

This is an important, compelling conversation.

We ask you to check it out right now.

Steve Adubato here, we pick up our conversation on our Reimagined Childcare Town Hall.

This very distinguished panel has been talking about that.

If you missed part one, go on our website, check it out.

This is part two.

I wanna ask this question.

This whole issue of solutions, people say, "How do we fix the childcare crisis?"

So my question, Winifred is this, do we actually fix it, or do we take a whole series of actions, governmentally, from a societal point of view, family point of view, et cetera, et cetera, and make improvements in it?

We don't actually fix this crisis, do we, Winifred?

- No, we need to completely reimagine it, and rebuild the infrastructure of it.

- What does that mean?

I'm sorry for interrupting.

We were using the expression "reimagined childcare".

We've been doing it for a couple of years now.

What does that mean to you?

- Fund early care and education as a public good, the same way we fund K through 12, you should fund zero through five.

- Well, hold on.

You said as a public good.

What's the difference between a public good and a public service?

- So I do believe it's both, right?

So childcare allows families to work, right?

And without it, families can't work, like it's real simple, right?

It's especially for people who have children zero to five.

So that's the service that we provide.

We also make sure that our children are socially, emotionally, cognitively, and academically prepared for their next part of their journey.

Funding it as a public good means that we would use the money the same way you would use money to fund K through 12, or the firefighters, or the police department, is the same way you would fund the early care and education sector.

- By the way, this is Ed who is a parent from Elizabeth.

He asked a very important question regarding single parents.

I wanna talk about single parents and this childcare crisis.

And by the way, to all those who sent us video questions, and also went on Facebook and Twitter, and responded to our social media outreach, asking, "What one question would you ask about childcare?"

I'm sorry, we're not gonna get to all those questions, but this is Ed, a single parent from Elizabeth, New Jersey.

- How can single parents be expected to afford what a two-income household would afford in terms of quality childcare and covering their rent or their mortgage?

- Cecilia, a single parent versus a so-called intact family, or two-parent family, whatever that means to different people.

Talk to Ed, please, and countless others who are in a comparable position.

- So I think when we talk about reimagining childcare, how we assist parents for childcare, I think is critically important.

We have a state child subsidy- childcare subsidy system, which we've discussed, it doesn't serve- it serves families that have very low incomes.

That system needs to be strengthened so that families of higher incomes are eligible for help.

It needs to have a much easier application process.

I mean, that's a kind of a long-winded way of saying we have to do better by families.

To Winifred's point, this is a public good.

It keeps families working, it keeps the economy moving, and it provides education for young children at the most critical time.

We have to do more to create a system that supports all aspects of it, including parents.

- I'm curious about something, and I want any one of you to jump in here.

Is there actually a childcare community, a childcare network, if you will, or is it simply a series of childcare organizations, just all trying to survive, pay their bills, pay their workers- you're smiling, Winifred, as I do that.

Assemblywoman, is there such a community and a network, or is everyone just fighting for survival?

- I think that post-pandemic, everyone has come together.

Organizations like ACNJ, the Alliance for the YMCA.

We have had dozens and dozens of hearings on- just last week, many advocates met with the front office, so the governor's front office.

- The governor's office is the front office?

- Yeah, the front office.

Yes.

Unfortunately he was not available because of what happened with the storm.

And I have to tell you that- - By the way, excuse me, we're taping in September.

The storm is that storm, we're praying there's not another storm, but I just wanna put that in context.

Pick that- you're comment up Assemblywoman.

- Right, so we had a number of advocates, probably over 20 advocates on the phone, including ACNJ.

Again, just repeating the same, childcare is too expensive.

We have a staffing crisis, right?

The staff- the childcare staff are not paid- they're paid minimum wage.

And how do you live- how do you live on minimum wage when you're earning $25,000 a year?

- But it was a community, sorry for interrupting- - It's a community, yes, a community of advocates and parents.

And so we are coming together, finally, this past year.

We are fighting hard, fighting hard to ensure that we're- you know, subsidies that pay enrollment non-attendance, that we- - Yep.

- That the staff member- - Which is, in fact, your legislation, - Yeah.

- that as we speak, is sitting on the governor's desk.

- On the governor's desk, that's correct.

And that the staff are paid more, because if you look at the public sector, as public schools, they're paid, I don't know, $35, $40,000 and above, while we're making minimum wage to childcare staff, right?

- Well, while we say our children are our most precious resource, those who care for them are being paid minimum wage.

- Minimum wage, and also, there'd obviously the medical benefits.

So there's a lot going on right now, and this is why I'm super thrilled, about there's a lot of ruckus going on right now, but the advocates are coming together, that we're fighting for our children.

And actually, and I also understand, that about 50% of the women, these are women, that they can't go to work.

They can't go because they can't afford childcare.

So about 50% of women in this state, cannot go to work because they can't afford childcare.

And it's just not fair.

- But I wanna ask Dr. Li something, following up on what the assemblywoman is saying.

And it's not the first time it's been raised.

In your view, Dr. Li, how much of the lack of appreciation, lack of, frankly, respect to those who are on the front lines in childcare organizations, caring for our children, how much do you believe it is a product of the fact that they are disproportionately women, and many of them are women of color?

- Historically, right?

You can imagine kind of any professional field that are primarily staffed by women are shortchanged in wage and recognition and in respect.

And I think one of the things I hope we collectively all understand, right, is that over the last 20 years, there has been bipartisan support for investment in early childhood.

But when it comes to childcare, we're still lagging behind.

And we have this ongoing challenge on compensation, quality access, affordability.

And in part, I think it's not only just an under-appreciation of the people who work in the sector, but also a misunderstanding of how social investments work.

We've talked so much about kind of how- invest early, right?

Reap economic rewards and other benefits for society as a whole.

But anyone who has done any kind of an investment, even just for your retirement portfolio, have to understand, but you actually have to make the initial investments.

And that initial investment has to be a sizable proportion.

So all the economic studies that told us about $12 to $16 return for every dollar invested in early childhood, in all of those initial studies, the staff are well compensated, and the services are integrated rather than isolated.

The staff are supported with professional development and recognition.

And those are efforts that were done in the 60s and 70s and 80s.

So the idea that if we want to join together to investing early childhood, then in addition to look at how great the return is gonna be, we actually have to be faithful to how much it is that we need to invest up-front, in order to get that kind of return.

And that investment starts with investing in the people who are caring for the children.

- Yeah, we talk about the state level when the assemblywoman talked about her legislation.

And by the way, is there a second piece of legislation, Assemblywoman, that is worth acknowledging?

I just wanted to ask you that.

- You know, so working closely with ACNJ- thank you, Cecilia, again.

- The associates- Advocates for Children in New Jersey, just to clarify that, go ahead.

- Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I was a former board member for 10 years.

Yeah, so I actually introduced A5731, providing a gross income tax credit for licensed childcare and family care centers.

This bill is designed to provide tangible incentives for individuals working in childcare.

And although expending state dollars, it's a worthwhile investment.

It's an industry that is crucial to our economy and recovery, you know.

So I'm very grateful to the advocates for children, for New Jersey, for walk- walking me through this process, helping me with this.

And so we've introduced that as well.

I don't think it has- it has not been posted yet.

However, I'm hoping that- - Not been posted for a vote.

I just wanna be clear.

- Right, for a vote, correct.

- Not posted for- As we speak, it's not posted for a vote.

Let me ask you, real quick on this, 'cause I know that State Senator Teresa Ruiz, who is a mom of a young child, and a whole range of other women who happen to be in the legislature, who happened to be moms, have been driving this.

Do you sense... And I know this is tricky to ask you this, Assemblywoman, because you have to work with your male colleagues, and I don't wanna make this a male versus female thing.

But to what degree do you sense that your male colleagues are as committed to this cause as you and some of the other women in the legislature are?

- Unanimous, unanimous.

- You sense it.

- They're 100%- - But is it bipartisan?

- Yes, yes, yes.

- So, Cecilia, where's the resistance then?

Why is this so hard?

If it's unanimous, if it's universal... By the way, not universal childcare, that's another story.

But my question, Cecilia, is why is it so hard then?

- Well, I think the feedback we've gotten, certainly, is it's too expensive to implement.

But as Assemblywoman Lopez points out, this has a safeguard in it, and it allows the state to assess in two years, what's the financial impact?

And you know, back to something you said early on, Steve, let's not forget that New Jersey's getting $700 million of federal money specifically for childcare.

In addition to money that's going out to local communities, to the school districts, that could be used for childcare.

We're still waiting for our state to put out what this plan is for that money.

Talk about reimagining childcare.

And Dr. Li's point about you have to make the investment up-front.

We have the money to make that investment.

How are we gonna use it most effectively?

- If that were to happen, Winifred, and by the way, Winifred Smith-Jenkins, Senior Director, Zadie's Nurturing Den, check out our first part of this Town Hall if you missed it, she talked a lot about her organization.

If that were to happen, Winifred, what Cecilia just described, and what the Assemblywoman described, what would it mean for you and your colleagues, at Zadie's Nurturing Den, in terms of what you could provide those children and their families?

- So I think, if we could take a step back, what could we bring to the table for the staff, right?

You could professionalize the benefits that the staff are receiving.

You're talking about medical, you're talking about dental, life, vision, retirement benefits.

Because science essentially tells us that the key to quality is the workforce, is that, are the people- - They don't have it- and I'm sorry for interrupting, they don't have it now?

- No, not necessarily, - So I wanna be clear.

- it's too expensive.

- I want everyone to think about what's being said.

And again, my job is not to advocate or be on a soapbox.

Everyone at the Caucus Educational Corporation, our full-time staff, there are health benefits.

There's a pension contribution they make, and we make.

And it's not us, just think of most organizations.

That is the norm.

What's being said is it's not the norm in the childcare industry.

And I'm just trying to understand why that is the case, other than, Winifred, precedent.

- So you have to remember that we fully are small businesses, right?

Like there's no- so you either get funding from the subsidy program or, you know, we could call it a state tuition, right?

Or you get funding- you get paid through parent tuition, but that's it like, you know, that's the only way you can pay.

- So there's no other sources?

- No.

So that's the problem.

And you can charge an exorbitant amount, but who can afford it if you do that?

- So it's a catch-22.

- It is.

- By the way, the question- there were a lot of social media questions.

And again, we'll put up our Facebook page and our Twitter handle as well, if people wanna continue asking questions, and we'll continue this conversation offline.

Many people asked, when we put out the social media question, is, "What is the number one childcare question you would want to ask this distinguished panel as part of this Reimagined Childcare Town Hall?"

Here it is.

"How exactly can we establish free universal childcare, not just in New Jersey, but in the United States of America?

What needs to be done to make that happen?"

Cecilia, take it on.

- So we have an opportunity.

Again, we have the federal money that can help seed that kind of idea.

It's gonna require a future state investment, for sure, but we have that money.

And, you know, New Jersey, I think more than any other state in the country, is well-placed to do this.

Because we are ahead of the rest of the country in our high-quality, universal preschool program.

We did- - Where's the Biden administration on this?

- I think they're very supportive.

I think the federal art funds, the American Rescue Plan, takes the first step toward this.

There's more federal funding being debated.

I think, again, it's how do we use it most effectively?

Actually, we know what to do.

We have some great models here in New Jersey.

Again, our preschool program is, I think, the best in the country.

We can look at the lessons learned from that, to Winifred, and the Assemblywoman's point, to create a true birth-to-five system of early education for young children in our state.

- Assemblywoman, jump on this.

You said there's universal, across the board, bipartisan support in the state of New Jersey, and the state legislature for the kinds of things we're talking about.

What is your sense?

You're not in the United States Congress, but you have a sense of things, nationally.

With so many things being politicized in so many different parts of our country, geographically, seeming to believe different things for different reasons.

To what degree do you believe that there's universal, across-the-board support, bipartisan support in the United States Congress, for the kind of reimagining of childcare that we're talking about, Assemblywoman?.

- You know, I could speak for the legislature, okay.

And I'm gonna talk to you about the legislature.

- Go ahead.

- So, okay.

So obviously we have 120 members, right?

And I would tell you that any time- - 40 Senators, 80 members of the State Assembly.

- Correct.

And any time there's a bill that is introduced, whether it's in the Senate or in the Assembly, whether it's on the R-side or the D-side, there is 100% support for those bills.

Why?

Because so many of our members either have children , or are- or have grand-babies.

Yeah, and they understand, they understand the struggles that parents go through with tuition, again, childcare being too expensive.

They understand how they have to make a choice; do I go back to work, and have to pay this enormous rate for childcare, or do I stay home?

And so, understand that the legislature, we have 100%, bipartisan support, for all these childcare bills and piece of legislation.

- But that's in the state legislature.

And I wanna go to Jackie from Scotch Plains, who has a video question.

But Dr. Li, I need to ask you, what is your sense, from a national perspective?

It's one thing to say that the Biden administration is supportive, and we're not a show about politics, we're a show about policy.

And so my question is, from your vantage point, what do you see nationally?

And you do look at this nationally, Doctor, to what degree- while the Assemblywoman's talking about this universal support in the state legislature, both parties geographically across the board, men, women doesn't matter; all in.

Do you see something comparable to that in the United States Congress, as it relates to childcare?

- What I see, Steve, I think across the country, across both Blue and Red states, and anything in-between, is that there's a growing consensus, I think, two things, whether you base it on science, or just based on common sense, one is this idea that you can't make a lasting positive impact on children by skipping over the adults that are in the middle.

And these adults are the educators, caregivers, and the families, right?

It's as much common sense as it is science.

And then based on that principle, we can think about, how do we legislate?

How do we fund, and how do we prioritize?

And the second part- and the pandemic particularly reminded all of us that, which is that all of us value families, no matter what state we live in.

And then if we value families, we have to recognize that families don't just thrive on its own as a little bubble.

When things happen around the world, families need support.

So that infrastructure of support around the families, supporting that is the same as valuing families.

And in that context for families with young children, the childcare infrastructure is an absolutely integral part of the support that families need.

And these two fundamental principles ought to be the kind of things that can bring us together, and figure out the financial and policy solutions that can get this done.

- As I said, we had so many video questions that came in.

This is Jackie from Scotch Plains, correct?

Jackie talks about- well, let Jackie speak for Jackie.

Let's go to the clip.

- When the pandemic started, I was forced to stay home.

How can New Jersey support working parents?

- Yeah.

Cecilia?

Do you hear that?

- So I think we've talked a lot about ways to reimagine childcare, supporting staff.

But one thing that I think about in her question, and the gentleman, the single parent, is we have a sector of our childcare system that we have not paid enough attention to, and that's home-based, or family childcare.

There is a network of family childcare providers who provide care for children in their own home.

It's a smaller setting, it's five or fewer children.

Many parents who were looking for that small setting have unusual work hours, not 9:00 to 6:00, have very young children that they'd like to see in a one-on-one relationship, could benefit from home-based care.

We have not developed that enough in New Jersey, when we treat it a little differently than we do family childcare.

And I think this is the time to create incentives for more people to be willing to register as family childcare providers and provide care, especially to children who are using childcare subsidies.

- Yeah, and we've got a couple minutes left.

Let me ask you this, in 30 seconds or less, why should anyone watching this program, children or not, grandchildren or not, help them understand, Winifred, why this matters to them, directly and personally, and for us as a society, who says we care deeply about our children, Winifred.

- Because how we hold the people who are holding our children, will determine how these little people we're holding, will grow up into society.

And so that's the reason why I feel like this should be just a universal issue that we all care about.

- So someone says, "That's not my kid," you say...?

- I say- - "That's not my kid you're holding, that's not my grandchild you're holding," you say...?

- But that kid that I'm holding may end up impacting you later on.

They may be holding you.

- Well said.

Assemblywoman, take a shot at this.

Why should people care?

- People should care, again... Childcare, again, like it mentioned earlier, it's too expensive, right?

Teachers are not paid at the same parody like public schools are, they're not receiving medical benefits.

The childcare centers are operating on very thin margins.

So again, we go back to the attendance versus enrollment.

So I will share with you, and I'll leave with this message, is that, you know, we should get- childcare centers, they're not the public good that they should be, and they should be treated as a public good.

And, you know, again, public schools are paid on enrollment, not attendance, and the same should apply to childcare centers.

- Dr. Li, tell folks why they should care.

- I think we value families.

And by that, we need to value the system of support that families need.

And childcare is an essential part of that system of support.

- And finally, Cecilia, someone says, "It doesn't affect me, it's just not possible."

- Some things are "basic".

It couldn't be more basic than this.

We're all connected, right?

Our state needs residents who are working, who are self-sufficient, and can pay taxes that support the rest of us, all of us in New Jersey.

And to do that, businesses, employers, need staff.

They need workers who could come to work, be focused on work, not absent, and childcare is essential to creating that workforce.

I feel strongly, I agree completely that childcare is the educational system for our youngest children.

But from a practical reality, it's a financial engine for our state as well.

- I cannot thank this very distinguished- our very distinguished panel of experts on this Reimagined Childcare Town Hall about this crisis.

And people use the word "crisis" to overdramatize certain situations; that's not the case here.

A genuine, real, substantive, longstanding crisis that affects all of us.

So I cannot thank you enough.

I wanna thank all of you for watching, and engaging in this important Town Hall meeting around this childcare crisis.

I'm Steve Adubato.

We hope to see you next time.

- [Narrator] Think Tank with Steve Adubato has been a production of the Caucus Educational Corporation.

Funding has been provided by The Turrell Fund, supporting Reimagine Childcare.

PNC, Grow Up Great.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority.

Hackensack Meridian Health.

NJM Insurance Group.

PSE&G, Seton Hall University.

And by The North Ward Center.

Promotional support provided by The New Jersey Business & Industry Association.

And by NJ.Com.

- Many of New Jersey's children have been affected by Covid-19, but now that there's a safe and effective vaccine available for children ages twelve and older you can help make COVID-19 history by getting yourself and your child vaccinated.

Let's end this pandemic together and help all children get back to being kids.

Visit HackensackMeridianHealth.org/ covid19 to learn more, or to schedule a vaccine appointment today.