Champions for Kids 2024 Luncheon
(Sept. 9, 2024)-Each year, the Annie E. Casey Foundation publishes a “Kids Count Data Book,” which evaluates the 50 states based on four categories- Economic Well-Being, Education, Health, and Family and Community. In 2024, Michigan ranked 34th out of 50 states in the overall Child Wellbeing, which includes 13 indicators under each of the four categories.
The Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) breaks down the Michigan data and highlights any wins and recommendations. At a luncheon, MLPP presented the findings, including child care data and proposed strategies to address gaps. First Steps Kent attended with two parent leaders. The event featured an overview of the child care data, proposed strategies to address gaps, and a panel discussion about the findings of the Kids Count Data Book and its impact on Michigan kids.
"To support families and children, I believe we need to advocate for rate increase for the Child Development and Care (CDC) program, increase access to more child care scholarships, grants and funding to keep child care programs running, and increase compensation for child care providers to keep them in the field so more slots can be made available for children to access quality childcare," noted Flora M., Parent Leader.
This year’s data from MLPP included a special section on child care, emphasizing its crucial role in child well-being. The section, titled “Investments in Child Care: The Key to Unlocking Limitless Potential,” highlighted the state’s insufficient investment in early care and education. The report proposed three key strategies for improvement:
- Increase state spending on the Child Development and Care program.
- Improve access to child care scholarships.
- Enhance compensation among child care providers.
Notably, preschool enrollment has dropped in 53 counties, underscoring the urgency of these investments.
"The focus on child care really hit home for me. I’ve experienced firsthand the challenges of finding affordable, quality care. The strategies discussed, like automatic subsidies for parents who work in child care settings and improving access to scholarships in general are going to be so critical to help parents show up at their jobs ready to work." shared Leah A., Parent Leader.
The event also reviewed several policy wins in Michigan:
- A 15% increase in the child care reimbursement rate in the upcoming state budget.
- Progress towards universal preschool.
- The successful implementation of Rx Kids, a pilot program in Flint, that offered free medication for all pregnant women and babies.
- Stricter lead testing requirements, now mandatory at 12 and 24 months for all children, not just those enrolled in WIC. Early detection of lead exposure is vital in preventing long-term health effects.
The report offered several key recommendations, including the adoption of a state Child Tax Credit. During the pandemic, this credit was instrumental in reducing child poverty, and it is reported that 73% of Michigan voters now support reinstating it. Other recommendations included expanding mental health access in schools and granting automatic eligibility for child care assistance to early educators’ children.
The data is important in guiding the work of the State, regional and local strategies, and the work of First Steps Kent. Dig into more of the data below.