Addressing the issue according to harbach the

Addressing the Issue
According to Harbach, the replacement of the liberal thoughts and consideration of
families as vulnerable subjects requires the state to assume responsibility for childcare
services (488). Based on the Vulnerability Theory, the authors argue that the state should

Bruku 5
become responsive to the disparities. In other words, it should recognize the inadequacies of
privatization in responding to the vulnerability of children and families. While the
reauthorization of the CCDF increased the breadth and availability of federal funding to state
childcare programs, it remains inadequate in addressing the issue. In turn, a collaborative
approach involving the federal, state, and local governments, as well as private organizations
and local communities, should help in advancing the goal.
State and local governments should create strategies that increase revenue sources to
use in the subsidization of childcare. Several proposals have emerged in scholarly research
and policy debates regarding taxes to fund such programs. For example, the Tax Cuts and
Jobs Act doubled Child Tax Credit from $1,000 to $2,000 per child (Harbach 509). Hamm
and Carmel proposed a High-Quality Child Care Tax Credit to subsidize childcare for low-
income families (8). The proposal focuses on improving the affordability of the services for
this population. In Palm Beach, voters approved the creation of a special tax that would fund
additional services, including childcare. Similarly, the City of Seattle created the Child Care
Assistance Program to subsidize the services for its low-income residents (PolicyLink 4).
Such proposals are feasible in improving the affordability of childcare services.
The government should take a new role in protecting children from unregulated care.
According to Harbach, the current regulations fall short of quality benchmarks (506). While
CCDF mandates a licensing scheme in each state, the effects have often been limited.
Unlicensed care centers remain a substantial problem, especially because of the location of
the licensed ones. According to PolicyLink, the government should play a direct role in
increasing the availability and quality of centers (6). For example, having the centers at
transit-oriented development sites could improve availability. Indeed, some localities and
states have adopted innovative strategies to guarantee access to high-quality services for low-
income families. For instance, the Fruitvale Transit Village in Oakland has integrated

Bruku 6
affordable childcare within this development (PolicyLink 8). Directing impact fees towards
the creation of childcare facilities could promote affordability and accessibility of the services
among low-income and middle-class families.
Related to the protection of children is the need to support and monitor childcare
institutions. According to Harbach, the state should take steps to address heuristics,
information problems, and spillovers that lead to suboptimal performance in this market
(513). The provision of subsidies aligned to quality would help in regulating the market and
ensuring the transparency of the services offered. It is also essential for the government to
enhance the supply of centers through investments in early care workforce (Harbach 513).