County Must Strive for More Child-Care Units

U.S. Labor Secretary Ann McLaughlin came to Orange County last week to speak to more than 4,000 women attending state Sen. William Campbell’s Conference on Women, and she didn’t mince words about a major problem facing women who work--child care.

McLaughlin, terming child care a “make-or-break issue in the work force,” said that lack of adequate child care could force many women out of jobs or adversely affect their performance. “I am convinced that (it) must be a national priority. It is important to the future of work in America and to the future of the economy,” she said.

Women make up 44% of the national work force, and there are nearly 25 million children of working parents young enough to need supervision, but only 11% of employers provide child care for their workers.

Orange County, with the second largest child population in the state, has long waiting lists, up to a year in some cases, for every available child-care slot in the county. Several months ago, county Supervisor Gaddi H. Vasquez urged the county to serve as a role model by opening a child-care center in the Civic Center. He was able to get the supervisors to agree to study the possibility of requiring new industrial and commercial developments to provide child care for employees. The county is also studying the possibility of leasing regional park facilities unused most weekdays to private companies as day-care centers. Thus far, however, nothing has come of those possibilities. Vasquez should continue to pursue them along with private companies.

McLaughlin did praise California for spending more than $300 million in child-care services last year. But more support is needed on the state level, too. There are two major bills pending in the Legislature that would increase state child-care funding and also provide for a statutory cost of living increase in child-care funds.

We could hope that McLaughlin’s remarks influence the county supervisors and, especially, Campbell, who, despite his sponsorship of the Conference on Women, does not have a reputation for being a strong advocate for women’s issues, including child-care legislation. He could change that this session.

Several Orange County companies and organizations realize the critical need for more child care and are doing something about it. Five were honored last Friday as part of the nationwide Child Care America campaign. Singled out for recognition were the Irvine Co., the Internal Revenue Service in South County, Pacific Mutual, Santa Margarita Co. and Fairview Developmental Center. They are among the growing number of employers who are beginning to recognize how vital adequate child care is to the efficient operation of their organizations.