By Vanessa Butler, Senior Director of Community Relations & Special Projects
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Learn more about Groundwork Ohio’s Women’s Coalition.
What do you want?
Why do you want it?
What are you willing to do to get it?
These were three questions presented to me a few years ago by a dear friend and mentor. In my time of reflection, the following key themes came to mind: financial freedom, peace, and sustained joy. I understood full well the decisions I made that led me to this point of confronting my past, as well as looking ahead towards my future. It became imperative that I think critically about my desire to be a mother one day, and the type of world I envision for my future children.
This is what we know: women often pay the price and make critical decisions when it comes to care for children. Through research surrounding women and families with young children across the state of Ohio, there are number of key findings that create pause because of the devastating impact of lack of access to high-quality and evidence-based child care. Female-headed households are more than three times as likely as all Ohio households to live in poverty and having children in the household increases the likelihood of living in poverty by four-fold. Over 1 in every 3 women in Ohio have changed their work schedules, and 1 in 4 cut back hours due to child care arrangement disruptions.
Child care costs are staggeringly high. On average, child care for an infant is 27% of the median earnings of a mom working full time.
Additionally, Ohio continues to remain in the last place among other states for child care support to low-income households. 4 in 10 Ohio households live in areas with little or no available child care.
Given the realities faced by so many women and young children across Ohio, it is imperative to advocate for tangible change and investments that yield greater economic prosperity for women and families.
Groundwork’s Key Policy Agenda Priorities
The following policy agenda was prepared by Groundwork Ohio with the thoughtful input of stakeholders across the state, including the Groundwork Early Learning Advisory Council and the Groundwork Maternal and Young Child Health Advisory Council:
Increase eligibility of Publicly Funded Child Care (PFCC) to at least 200% of the federal poverty level and increase access to full-time public preschool slots comparable to fulltime PFCC subsidies to ensure young children are ready for kindergarten and working families are supported.
Improve payment practices that better support a child care program’s ability to deliver quality learning, increase teacher pay by making progress towards paying the actual cost of quality care while not overburdening families. We recommend increasing PFCC rates to the 75th percentile of the 2024 Market Rate Survey for base rates as the next benchmark while maintaining tiered rates for providing higher levels of quality; paying programs based on enrollment of children versus attendance; and limiting family copays to 7% of a family’s income.
Invest in local infant mortality collaborative models in communities with high rates of infant mortality and racial disparities that require health systems, managed care plans, impacted communities, and Black moms to co-create and implement a plan of action to reduce infant and maternal mortality.
Expand access to evidence-based home visiting programs (ex. Nurse Family Partnership, Healthy Families America, Parents as Teachers) including scaling Family Connects statewide, utilizing Medicaid to leverage access and impact, to support the healthy development of Ohio’s youngest and reduce child abuse and neglect.
Upcoming Budget Process
Groundwork Ohio has developed this robust policy agenda with the help and expertise of stakeholders including business leaders, families, local early childhood experts, professionals, and community leaders. The mobilization of women leaders across the state will help amplify key priorities for our youngest residents and their families.
We will advocate for this agenda during the new 136th General Assembly, which will begin this month. Governor DeWine will release his executive state budget in February. His budget will then move first to the Ohio House of Representatives, where House members will deliberate over the budget and incorporate their own unique footprint on what they deem to be the state’s top priorities. The budget will then move to the Ohio Senate, where they will move through the same process. By June, the Conference Committee will take place, where the House, Senate, and the governor’s executive budget will be reconciled. By July 1, 2025, Ohio will have a new budget. We are hopeful it will incorporate key investments for Ohio’s children.
We look forward to partnering with women-serving organizations toward achieving the best possible outcomes for Ohio’s young children, mothers, and families during the biennial budget process
Ways to Engage
Join Groundwork Ohio in advocating for bold policies that transform child care access, empower women, and ensure brighter futures for Ohio's children. Beginning March 2025, Groundwork will host quarterly calls for the Women’s Coalition, where leaders of women-serving organizations, communities, and industry will come together with the shared commitment of addressing the child care crisis. For your participation, you can anticipate the following:
Collaborate with other women-serving organizations and initiatives from around the state to identify shared priorities.
Exchange valuable insights and experiences to address child care needs.
Be part of the policy agenda conversation with a combined voice.
Increase visibility of the child care crisis’ impact on women in Ohio.
Raise the urgency of this issue to policymakers.
We will also offer additional opportunities to advocate for policies that support affordable and accessible child care. Through providing written or oral testimony at the Statehouse, writing an op-ed on lived experiences as a women-serving organization, or being a guest on Groundwork’s Amplified Podcast: Reloaded, there are a number of ways to use your voice to raise awareness about the importance of this issue.
When women mobilize, solutions are identified and implemented.
I am fully persuaded that this world and the State of Ohio would be a better place if it were filled with more whole and healthy human beings. Being able to work and advocate for tangible change for our youngest human beings is a blessing, and a necessary burden.
Please join us in the movement of ensuring that Ohio is the best place for every young child to live and thrive. Learn more about Groundwork Ohio’s Women’s Coalition.
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