Policy Briefing: Access to Child Care for Homeless Families
This week, we had the privilege of hosting Boston’s four female city councilors – otherwise known as the “Fab Four” – to kick off the first policy briefing in their series of monthly community conversations about early education and child care issues, which will be held throughout the year.
We were delighted to partner with Councilor Annissa Essaibi-George, Chair of the Council’s Committee on Homelessness, Mental Health & Recovery, to kick off the series by focusing on the topic of Access to Child Care for Homeless Families.
Some members of the public audience included passionate community members, advocates for homeless families’ rights, and families who are experiencing or have experienced homelessness.
“The Administration of Children & Families estimates that last year, about 88% of homeless children in Massachusetts were unserved by any learning program.”
Staff from Horizons, Homes for Families, and Action for Boston Community Development, spoke on behalf of their work and explained the needs for better assistance from state-level policies to address gaps in access and affordability of early education for homeless and housing unstable families. Staff informed the crowd of the alarming rise of family homelessness and the effects from it on a local and national scale.
The audience was then encouraged to support S.257/HD 3564, An Act Providing Immediate Child Care Assistance to Homeless Families, sponsored by Senator Linda Dorcena Forry and Representative Marjorie Decker. Click here to learn more and support the Act.
For more information on future policy briefings held by Boston City Council’s Healthy Women, Families and Communities, please visit:https://www.cityofboston.gov/citycouncil/committees/communities.asp/.
Watch the video of the hearing here: http://www.cityofboston.gov/citycouncil/cc_video_library.asp?id=11167
Were you unable to attend the forum, but want to help homeless families in your community? Sign up for our Advocacy Alerts, and we’ll send you opportunities to raise your voice and advocate on behalf of homeless children and families across Massachusetts.
by Molly Murphy, Marketing Coordinator
Published on March 6, 2017
