Concerns Rise Over Child Safety in Unlicensed Day Care Centers
House Bill 153: Tax Breaks and Unlicensed Day Care Changes
According to Public News Service, child care supporters in Utah feel both relieved and worried as lawmakers talk about child care rules. A new bill, House Bill 153 is close to becoming law. It offers a $2.3 million tax break for some Utah parents and allows unlicensed day care centers to take care of up to eight children instead of six starting May 1. Anna Thomas from Voices for Utah Children says there might be good things like tax breaks but she is concerned about child safety if caregivers don’t have licenses.
Thomas is worried about the bill because she thinks there are big risks when unlicensed people take care of many children. Even though she knows that unlicensed home based child care might be the only choice for a lot of Utah families she is scared that kids might not be safe without proper supervision. There are rules like background checks and limits on how many little kids can be taken care of, Thomas says the bill does not really deal with how expensive child care is in Utah. She thinks the state should use its money to help fix this problem.
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UT Tax Credit Bill Set to Expand Unlicensed Child Care Options – What You Need To Know?(PHOTO: getty images)
Comprehensive Approach Needed for Child Care Affordability and Safety
In light of research findings indicating that loosening standards does not improve child care cost or availability, Thomas urges parents not to feel ashamed about their child care choices and emphasizes the need to recognize systemic issues rather than blaming individual parents. She advocates for a more comprehensive approach to addressing child care affordability and safety concerns in Utah.
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