California’s child care system is broken, underfunded, and inaccessible. Working parents, including many Local 99 members, struggle to access quality, affordable child care. In fact, over 1 million eligible children in California don’t have access to affordable early education. That’s why we’re fighting to get the respect child care providers deserve and the quality care parents and kids need.
Did you know that after 52.5 hours of weekly care you are entitled to an additional hourly rate? After reading the confusing Title 5 Education codes, and clarifying with the CA Department of Education (CDE), we discovered that providers can be paid for hours worked above 52.5 per week. Keep in mind our hourly [...]
In Southeast Los Angeles, many providers work with Plaza Community Services, a network that provides early care and education in the area. In April, we met with Plaza and were informed the network would be transitioning to an Early Head Start program. Shortly after many of us received termination letters from the network. The [...]
Operating a family child care business is very rewarding but it can also be stressful. Licensing, Resource & Referral (R&R) agencies and food program representatives can flaunt their authority. We feel alone and isolated when licensing requirements are changed without proper notice. But, we know united, we are strong! Recently, Community Care Licensing made changes [...]
Union members, including members from SEIU Local 99, AFSCME/UDW, and SEIU Local 521 continue to have Quarterly Provider Input Meetings with the California Department of Education (CDE). Our last meeting was held Tuesday, June 5, 2018. We successfully engaged CDE in a healthy and productive conversation about the impact the, “Variable Schedule” definition and practice [...]
Beginning January 1, 2018, all licensed providers, applicants, directors, and employees must complete a required child abuse training (Health and Safety Code 1596.8662). You must complete the training every two years. This is verified during inspection. If the training is not available in your primary language you will be exempt until CDSS makes it available. [...]
By Nikita Houston, Child Care Provider, Los Angeles On April 2, 2018, I had the opportunity to represent SEIU Local 99 providers in Sacramento at the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) headquarters. Other participants at the round table discussion included Community Care Licensing representatives from Northern/Southern California and our sister child care unions. Together, [...]
Many providers in our union experience problems with Stage 1 Child Care variable schedules. So, we took action. Our petition urging the LA County Board of Supervisors to address providers’ concerns gathered hundreds of signatures! This led to several meetings with the LA County Department of Public Social Services (DPSS). Our meetings gave us [...]
Family child care providers are the bedrock of healthy neighborhoods across California. Sign this petition to support collective bargaining rights for providers and give them a voice to fix our state's broken child care system.
