Governor Shumlin has made
providing child care for low-income Vermonters a priority in his budget this
year. He says affordable child care will give Vermont’s children a head start, and help workers get back
into the job market.
Currently, around 6,000 families in the state receive subsidies for child care. That
still leaves a lot of Vermonters struggling to afford child care. Many have had
to come up with creative solutions: enlisting relatives, splitting work shifts,
or sharing nannies with other families. Even if you can afford child care, it
can often be difficult to find.
We’ll talk to Reeva Murphy, Deputy
Commissioner of the Child Development Division of the Department for Children
and Families, and Mitch Golub of the Vermont Achievement Center in Rutland about regulation, cost, and supply of child care in Vermont. We’ll also hear from Seven Days reporter Ken Picard on his recent story about child care.
Post your questions or
comments about child care here or email them to vermontedition@vpr.net.
Also, with the State House back in session we turn to a veteran of the Vermont
political scene for a peak at the inner workings of government. Former
State Senator Vince Illuzzi talks about how advocates, citizens and
lobbyists play a part in the daily life of legislators in Montpelier.