I typed in the question: Who pays for free childcare? The search engine took me to “Childcare Vouchers”. If you pay for childcare, using special vouchers save many parents $1000’s a year. If you’re taking advantage, check them out as a matter of urgency.” (Lewis, 2012)
“They're a special government scheme operated through employers that allow you to pay for childcare from your PRE-tax salary. It mightn't sound a big deal, but the impact can be huge.” (Lewis, 2012)
This site is a guide to how “free childcare” is really paid for, free isn’t free. Mr. Lewis article explains how tax payers, employers, and other services pay for childcare for low income and some working class. The site gives you resources on who can get a voucher, where to get the vouchers, and when to use the voucher. The effect on child tax credit and the warning of using and abusing the childcare voucher system.
I found that using the childcare voucher is good for some and cost others more than they expected. When an employer pays for childcare, which an employee has a voucher for, the employer is really getting twice as much for the child’s and the parent get a tax credit from their spending’s in tax returns.
The site talks about the consequences of free is not always free. Those of us that pay for childcare services do not receive the return of our hard earned money while others reap the benefits of our hard earned dollars. I don’t mind helping out, even if it means that I have to work harder to pay for a much need service. Childcare is expensive and yes I would like to see some of my money back. I do receive child tax credit on my returns, but is hardly makes up for the money I spend on childcare.
There are many addressed areas on the issues of childcare cost. Does it really pay to apply for free childcare for those who work? Or are we merely paying for the ones that earn fewer wages and really can’t afford childcare?
The equity adds up but are the children receiving the free care getting the same quality of care as those that pay top dollar in the same childcare center?
“Because licensing regulations set basic requirements for programs and NAEYC Accreditation criteria represent professional consensus on program excellence, there can be a significant difference in specifications for program quality between the two. States have found that they need additional strategies and public policies, along with their regulatory systems, to support high-quality services for all families. Many states have addressed such disparities in their early care and education systems, ratcheting up quality requirements beyond licensing regulations by offering incentives linked to NAEYC Accreditation. In fact, the majority of states require early care and education programs to be nationally accredited in order to receive higher child care subsidy reimbursement rates.” (NAEYC, 2012)
Free or not free, is the question. Are the taxpayers paying for you childcare services?
Lewis, M (2012) Money saving experts. http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/childcare-vouchers
National Association for the Education of Young Children. (2010). State and local quality improvement support efforts. www.naeyc.org/files/academy/file/YCQualityImprovement.pdf
