Irvine Shows Way on Child Care

Child care continues to be one of the most serious problems facing parents, and the City of Irvine, to its credit, considers it a problem that faces the community as well.

The fact that Irvine recognizes the problem as one the community ought to be dealing with is commendable. The Irvine City Council is not alone in that. More and more public officials are beginning to realize the social and civic ramifications of child care, or more precisely the lack of it.

Where the City of Irvine distances itself from so many others is in its commitment to doing something about the problem, and not merely paying it lip service.

The City Council has adopted an official policy that says “safe, affordable, quality child-care facilities and service be available to those who reside and/or work in the City of Irvine and are in need of such services.” The council has further dedicated itself to “identifying, organizing and applying all necessary resources to assure the elimination of the existing and projected shortfall.” What’s more, the council even set a target date of Dec. 31, 1991, for accomplishing that goal and has ordered a staff report on the best way to use city resources to attack the problem.

The city, by its official action, leaves no doubt about its intentions and resolve. The problem of finding adequate child care is no different in Irvine than it is in any other Orange County community. The only real difference is that Irvine is serious about doing something about it.