Financing Child Care in the United States - Ewing Marion Kauffman ...

FINANCING CHILD CARE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR UNIONS
projects or services designed to address local identified
needs, and a Dependent Care Advantage Account
Program. The agreement with UUP provides a direct
employer contribution of $200 to the Dependent Care
Advantage Accounts of eligible employees.
OTHER SITES WITH SIMILAR STRATEGIES
Twenty–six states have at least one work–site child care
center for state employees. Most of these states made
funds available for facility renovation and other start–up
costs. Many of these states provide the centers with free
rent, utilities and maintenance services, but none provides
operating assistance similar to the Enrichment Grants
program described here.
CONTACT
Deborah Miller, Staff Director
New York State Labor/
Management Child Care Advisory Committee
South Swan Street Building
Core 1, 2nd Floor
6 Empire State Plaza, Suite 212
Albany, NY 12223
Phone (518) 473 8091
Fax (518) 473 3581
THE 1199/EMPLOYER CHILD CARE
FUND (NEW YORK CITY)
DESCRIPTION
The 1199/Employer Child Care Fund includes
contributions, set aside as part of the collective
bargaining process, from 147 employers. The funds are
used to help meet the child care needs of employees
who are members of Local 1199, the National Health
and Human Services Employees Union.
WHEN ESTABLISHED
The fund began in 1992 with contributions from 16
hospitals and nursing homes.
ANNUAL AMOUNT
A total of $8.6 million was contributed in 1999.
SERVICES FUNDED
The fund supports seven initiatives, which include: one
on–site center and contracts with community–based child
care centers; vouchers that reimburse up to $75 per
week for child care provided in a wide range of formal
and informal child care settings; contracts with more than
100 summer camps in the metropolitan area; contracts
with programs offering care during school holidays; child
care resource and referral services; and a weekend
cultural arts program for children and teens interested in
dance, music, art, theater, tutoring, SAT/PSAT preparation
and physical education; and a college preparation
program called Work Force 2000.
HOW FUNDS DISTRIBUTED
A board of trustees (13 union representatives and 13
management representatives) establishes broad policy
guidelines for the fund. One hundred and twenty local
child care committees, located at work–sites, conduct
needs assessments, analyze and allocate the child care
budget, promote child care programs, serve as liaisons to
the fund, assist with program registrations and
recommend child care programs to the fund staff.
POPULATION SERVED
Children (from infancy to age 17) of 1199 members.
STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS
The 1199/Employer Child Care Fund was established
to increase 1199 members’ access to high–quality,
affordable child care services and information. Eighty
percent of 1199 members are women.
• Establishing the fund under the umbrella of Local
1199 allows the resources of many employers to
be combined. A total of 147 employers participate.
119