COMMENTARY ON DAY CARE : A Landmark Federal Grant, but Where Best to Use Money? : Careful local planning is needed to establish funding priorities and to develop effective public-private initiatives.

For the first time in nearly 50 years, there is a new federal child-care grant. What Orange County and other communities across the nation now need to do is decide how to put the money to the best use.

The Child Care and Development Block Grant is a new national child-care program to improve the quality, affordability and accessibility of child care for low-income families. It is the first comprehensive child-care legislation to become federal law since the passage of the Lanham Act in 1943, which provided child care during World War II.

With the end of the war in 1945, federal child-care money for the most part disappeared. In California, however, legislation was enacted to continue the operation of these children’s centers through the use of state funds.

In Orange County, subsidized child care is provided by a variety of public and private agencies. The annual sum of about $8 million from the state provides child care through licensed center-based and family day-care programs. These programs serve infants, preschool and school-age children. Additionally, a state-funded resource and referral agency offers consumer information and referrals to parents seeking child care.

The new landmark 1990 federal legislation was authorized for five years. Initial funds to California of $67 million will be received by the state in September. Orange County’s share could be up to $7 million, nearly doubling existing money available for child-care assistance to the low-income, working poor or parents in training.

Of the block grant money, 75% is to be used for general child-care purposes, with 25% earmarked for: enhancing quality through training; improved compensation for teaching staff, resource and referral, and to expand school-age child care.

Local planning is needed to establish funding priorities. A joint local planning council will shortly be appointed by Orange County’s Board of Supervisors and Department of Education. This council will recommend a child-care plan to be submitted to the state.

Just what, then, are Orange County’s child-care needs?

Recent census information indicates that the county’s birthrate is as high now as it was in the 1960s. Single-parent families continue to proliferate, and economic reality dictates the need for single parents and parents of intact families to be in the labor force.

The demand for school-age and infant child care far outstrips the supply available. Affordable, quality child care for all age groups has become increasingly difficult to obtain. Officials must address child-care assistance for special-needs children at risk of welfare dependency; the homeless; infants exposed to drugs and acquired immune deficiency syndrome; the abused and neglected, and children with disabilities.

The child-care needs of our ethnically diverse population must also be considered.

Underserved and often neglected are the older elementary- and middle-school youths, a vulnerable population that shuns traditional child care. They can and should be served in supervised alternative-type programs that meet their unique needs.

Expansion of information and referral services can offer consumer information to parents in search of child-care resources. Appropriate, safe locations and facilities are needed to provide sites for expanded child-care services.

Although federal money may not be used for capital outlay, churches and public schools offer appropriate facilities that can easily meet building and safety codes for child care. City and county barriers to providing child care must be eliminated to make sites available for child care. The development of licensed, family day-care homes throughout the county should be encouraged.

How can we spend this federal grant money wisely? First claim on the money is designated for low-income residents. Both public and private agencies can apply, and state funds will be awarded according to the county’s identified priorities.

A wish list for spending might be to:

* Maximize parental choice through vendor payment programs that would allow parents to choose either center-based or family day-care homes.

* Expand child-care services for school-age children at all elementary schools within the county.

* Develop and implement interesting, fun and stimulating programs for grades four to six and middle-school youths that provide alternatives to “just hanging out.”

* Expand infant care through family day care with intensive recruitment and training.

* Provide parent resource centers where families may obtain consumer education about quality in programs, parenting information and referrals.

* Maintain and improve protections for children in licensed child-care programs through state and local regulatory agencies.

* Develop meaningful support systems for child-care teachers and family day-care providers that provide training to enhance quality and support for the retention of staff members to provide stability in children’s lives.

* Provide money for facility improvements and equipment.

The new Orange County Child Care Planning Council must use vision and leadership to develop a coordinated countywide plan that addresses not only the need for quality child-care services for low-income families but also looks at the bigger picture of child care for all children who need services.

Strong efforts must be made to develop public-private initiatives to improve child-care quality and supply. The inclusion of a broad base of advocates, city and county officials, parents, providers and the business community can provide the input and vision to make this happen.