Free Childcare in MA: the Common Start Legislation with Liz Sheehan Castro

Recorded Sunday, April 11, 2021.  We are talking with Liz Sheehan Castro about the legislative effort that has been launched to get childcare to be FREE in Massachusetts.

• Liz works for the SEIU Education and Support Fund (ESF), which is a 501(C)3 non-profit organization founded for the purpose of developing and managing worker-centered education, training and professional development programs.  [SEIU = Service Employees International Union] 
• Liz has worked for the SEIU Education and Support Fund since 2019 as the Massachusetts Program Director. In her role she supports the 2,500 unionized home child care providers in MA with training, professional, development and advocacy.   

What is the Common Start legislation? 

The gist is that this legislation would move us really close to universal child care and early education in MA.  No family would pay more than 7% of their income towards child care, and many would have free care.  Child care providers / centers would be funded primarily through state funds (like K-12 schools!).
See  https://www.seiueducation.org for more information.

If you'd like to read the proposed legislation and talk with your community and legislative representatives about it, please see HD1960 and SD1307.  Use this link to search for them. https://malegislature.gov/bills/search

Other resources mentioned in this episode:

https://www.childcare.gov

https://www.childcareaware.org

https://www.ecLkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov

https://www.childcareeta.acf.hhs.gov

https://www.patchhawaii.org

https://www.irs.gov