HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

172

THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2019

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

URGING THE CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU TO CONDUCT A FEASIBILITY STUDY REGARDING THE EXPANSION OF THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF CHILDREN CARED FOR IN A STATE-LICENSED FAMILY CHILD CARE HOME FROM SIX CHILDREN TO TEN CHILDREN.

 

 

 


     WHEREAS, a strong early childhood care system is essential to the well-being of Hawaii's young children, their families, and the community; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Governor has announced as one of his Administration's initiatives the creation of a universal statewide high-quality public preschool system; and

 

     WHEREAS, public preschool will help alleviate some of the child care needs for families in the State, but realizing this vision will take significant time and planning; and

 

     WHEREAS, Hawaii's current shortfall of thirty thousand licensed child care slots means nearly half of the State's children under the age of six lack access to quality, affordable child care; and

 

     WHEREAS, Hawaii ranks as the least affordable state in the nation for center-based child care; and

 

     WHEREAS, the average monthly cost for full-time child care is about $9,500 per child in child care centers and $7,800 per child in family childcare homes; and

 

     WHEREAS, about two thousand four hundred children in the State receive care at a family childcare home, which is a private residence where care is provided to a limited number of children; and

 

     WHEREAS, many families prefer the smaller, more flexible, and more affordable home-like environment provided by family childcare homes, especially for infants and toddlers; and

 

     WHEREAS, nearly one in ten of all child care slots in the State regulated by the Department of Human Services are in a family child care home; and

 

     WHEREAS, in other states, such as Oregon, expanded home-based child care and education has been proven to contribute significantly to the overall education and well-being of children; and

 

     WHEREAS, increasing the maximum number of children authorized to be cared for in a family child care home would make a significant difference to many families in the State who struggle with unavailable or unaffordable child care; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirtieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2019, the Senate concurring, that the City and County of Honolulu is requested to conduct a feasibility study regarding the expansion of the maximum number of children cared for in a state-licensed family child care home from the present maximum of six children to a maximum of ten children; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the City and County of Honolulu is requested to submit a report to the Legislature of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2020; and

 

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

 

 

 

Report Title: 

Urging the Department of Human Services to conduct a feasibility study regarding the expansion of the maximum number of children cared for in a state-licensed family child care home from six children to ten children.