HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

9

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2005

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

requesting the department of human services to conduct a study and provide recommendations for addressing the shortage of infant and toddler child care providers, facilities, and services in the State.

 

 

WHEREAS, research demonstrates the critical importance of quality care in a child's first three years of life for enhancing brain development and cognitive abilities; and

WHEREAS, an infant or toddler who lacks appropriate relationships and stimulation during these years will be less able to learn, cope with stress, handle emotions, and form relationships later in life; and

WHEREAS, a shortage of infant and toddler child care providers, facilities, and services exists in the State, making it increasingly difficult for working parents to attain and afford quality infant and toddler child care; and

WHEREAS, the cost for quality infant and toddler child care is steadily increasing; and

WHEREAS, most families have one or both parents working, and most new parents are working; and

WHEREAS, the shortage of infant and toddler child care is impacting employers within the State by increasing employee absenteeism, tardiness, and turnover rates and the costs of recruiting and training new workers; and

WHEREAS, addressing the shortage of infant and toddler child care providers, facilities, and services is in the best interest of the State and crucial for the well-being of children, families, workers, and employers; and

WHEREAS, new strategies must be enacted to deal with the increasing demand of infant and toddler child care, yet much remains unknown about the shortage of infant and toddler child care providers, facilities, and services in the State and methods by which to increase the number of providers, facilities, and services without decreasing quality; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2005, the Senate concurring, that the Department of Human Services is requested to conduct a study, based on available information, about the shortage of infant and toddler child care providers, facilities, and services in the State; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Human Services, in this study, is requested to identify and examine the following areas relating to infant and toddler child care:

(1) Available data and rationale regarding the shortage of infant and child care providers in the State;

(2) Existing regulations and licensing requirements for infant and toddler child care providers, facilities, and services and how these may impact the problem; and

(3) Methods by which more infant and toddler child care providers can be recruited and retained to supply facilities and services for infants and toddlers in the State; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Human Services is requested to transmit, not later than twenty days prior to the convening of the 2006 Regular Session, its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature for increasing the supply of infant and child care providers, facilities, and services in the State; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor and the Director of Human Services.

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Study Relating to Infant and Toddler Child Care