Report says government doesn’t do enough to help with childcare

A new report says Iowans who got off welfare may find themselves mired in a fight to pay for childcare. Charles Bruner is Director of the Child and Family Policy Center which compiled the report. He says childcare support for those Iowans isn’t keeping up with the need.There’s been an increase in the number of families receiving federal support, but the increase hasn’t been enough to keep up with the demand. Bruner says state programs aren’t helping either.He says the state levels of support are so low that people who get off welfare and get a job find themselves worse off after paying for childcare. Bruner says it’s an issue the state needs to address.Bruner says this report, and others, lists improved support for childcare as an important goal for the state.The report concludes it’s more than just a family issue, it’s an issue of workforce productivity. He explains why it’s important to Iowa’s workforce to be able to afford good childcare.He says it’s needed to keep the current workforce on the job, and he says studies show kids do better and succeed more often when they have quality childcare. The entire report is available from the Child and Family Policy Center in Des Moines.