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How can the United States ensure that the next generation will be prepared for the responsibilities of citizenship? Barry D. Ford, President and CEO, Council for a Strong America, has a concise answer to that question: 鈥淟ife doesn鈥檛 start at five.鈥�

In other words, if we don鈥檛 start educating our children until they reach kindergarten, we鈥檙e too late. The first years literally offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to lay the foundation for a productive life as a contributing member of society.

Today, we are falling short of doing what we can for today鈥檚 young children. Hard data supports this contention in published by Council for a Strong America, a national, bipartisan nonprofit comprising law enforcement leaders, retired admirals and generals, business executives, pastors and figures from the world of athletics. (ReadyNation is the business-leader membership organization under the Council for a Strong America umbrella.)

Based in part on a survey of a nationally representative sample of 812 parents 鈥� both mothers and fathers 鈥� of children under age three, the report paints a stark picture:

At least 30% of respondents reported challenges in finding care that was affordable, high quality, convenient, had open slots, was available on an emergency/sick child basis or available outside Monday-Friday daytime hours.

• 25% report having reduced regular work hours due to child care problems. The same percent report having turned down a new job offer as well as further education or training.
• 55% have missed a full day of work because of child care problems.

Early Learning Nation spoke to Ford and his colleagues about the creation of this hard-hitting report and why this is the right moment for bipartisan action. The report lays out its argument in dollars and cents. 鈥�$57 billion,鈥� Ford says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the cost we pay every year by failing to address this crisis. We can鈥檛 afford to waste the time, talent, focus and energy. We can鈥檛 spare that potential and opportunity.鈥�

鈥淭here are so many reasons that law enforcement have been talking about preschool for 20 plus years,鈥� Ford says. 鈥淭hey see it with their own eyes, the difference between the child who has social support and the one who doesn鈥檛.鈥�

He continues. 鈥淥ur members experience this crisis in their companies and congregations, on their teams and in their platoons.鈥�

Jenny Wing Harper, Council for a Strong America鈥檚 Vice President of Federal Policy and Strategic Communications, views the issue as both an advocate and someone who experiences it on a daily basis. 鈥淚鈥檓 in it,鈥� says the mother of a 4-year-old and a 2-year old.

Leaders, communities and employers across the country are trying to find solutions for working families. Harper praises Sheetz, Inc, the convenience store chain, for building an onsite child education center for its employees in Blair County, PA. It opens at 4:30 in the morning. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 an investment in the workforce,鈥� she states. 鈥淭hey know the brain science that demonstrates the value of quality child care.鈥�

鈥淏ut companies can鈥檛 do this on their own,鈥� Kalli Krumpos, the organization鈥檚 Senior Associate, Strategic Planning and Development, adds. 鈥淲e need bigger solutions.鈥� She notes that have all available parents in the labor force.

Harper concurs. 鈥淚t鈥檚 relevant to everyone who has kids, and to every employer whose employees have kids.鈥� That鈥檚 why, as the report emphasizes, child care is a workforce issue.

The crisis has ramifications for spheres of American life that are not, at first glance, tied to child care. For example, between 17 and 24 are ineligible to serve in the United States military. Studies show that the main causes of ineligibility鈥攊nadequate education, criminality and obesity鈥攃an all be alleviated by quality early-childhood care and education. This looming personnel shortage brought about by failing to act could be devastating to our national security.

Council for a Strong America鈥檚 commitment to changing the child care landscape builds on newfound momentum around an issue that matters to Americans regardless of their party affiliation. Bipartisan consensus has already resulted in real victories. In 2018, funding for the Child Care Development Block Grants (CCDBG) program , an increase of $2.37 billion over the previous year, doubling the program鈥檚 discretionary funding.

Harper believes one explanation for the progress is that more legislators have personal experience with the challenge of finding reliable child care. are in Congress, and the average age of Congressional representatives is .

As Director of State Policy at Council for a Strong America, Eoin Dillon works on state child care issues as they manifest in a wide variety of regional, ideological and economic settings. 鈥淥ur members are promoting the importance of early childhood programs in 27 states, with staff in nine鈥� he explains. 鈥淓ach is different. For example, the challenges that Wisconsin faces aren鈥檛 the same as what we see in North Carolina. But some common themes do emerge. One is that it鈥檚 hard to maintain a steady workforce in child care, because the pay is poor.鈥�

Dillon points to as an example of an affordable measure that states can implement. As a result of the program, more children from low-income families are participating in high-quality child care and teachers are building their skills, as evidenced by sharp increase in credentials.

In spite of this and other signs that elected officials are starting to recognize the crisis and respond to it, Ford, who has two grown children, acknowledges that ReadyNation faces an uphill battle. 鈥淲e as a society rarely prioritize the interest of children. We like to say the children are our future, but public constraints show we鈥檙e not serious. When we鈥檙e serious we spend the money.鈥�

This story originally published on Early Learning Nation and is now archived on 蜜桃影视. Learn more here.