PLATFORM : For Working Parents, the Hardest Job Is Finding Quality Child Care

Juggling child care and work schedules is a challenge for working parents. Last week, Marcia Clark, a prosecutor in the Simpson trial and single mother of two young children, objected to an unusual evening session. JAMES BLAIR and LORENZA MUNOZ asked other parents what changes they would like to see in the U.S. child-care system to make their lives more reasonable. sg,2

SUE HORTON

Author, editor of L.A. Weekly newspaper

I have a husband who’s always had as flexible a job as I have; but I do remember once when my son was about a month old and I had to go into a meeting at work. So I dropped my son off at my husband’s work. Everybody there was saying, “This is so great! What a wonderful father!” I had the realization that if I had taken him to my meeting at work, there would have been none of that. With a mother, it’s “Can’t she figure out her child care?”

I think that society has to realize that it’s in the interest of everyone to have children well cared for. This means that every workplace has to adapt and that parents need to be actively encouraged to stay home with the kids. In exceptional circumstances, kids need to be able to come into work with their parents. A 7-year-old, the son of one of my co-workers is playing on my computer (as we speak). He had a half a day of school. It means that his father can be here and work and there’s no problem. But every workplace has to adapt. It’s entirely a matter of attitude.

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DAVID DICKSTEIN

Media relations manager, Los Angeles

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Both my wife and I work. All we’re looking for is someone who is responsible and puts our son first. I’m fortunate because I work for a company that encourages telecommuting. But telecommuting, no matter what company you work for, is not a substitute for child care.

We are currently employing our fifth nanny in 10 months. Three of those five we got through agencies. We try to go the professional route and what we get are people who either don’t understand what our needs are, or who want to negotiate the price and hours after we had made it clear to the agency. Our problems have ranged from hiring a grandma who would listen to our phone messages while we were out--invading our privacy--to hiring those who had work visas but then needed to go to their homeland, leaving us high and dry.

Each time, it’s cost us $400 just for the finder’s fee. And that’s on top of the weekly fees. There should be stricter regulation of the nanny business. Just as you would have a teacher who’s credentialed, there should be a credentialed nanny so that we know this person must be trained in baby CPR, have already been fingerprinted, must provide legal documentation.

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PATRICIA BALDWIN

Volunteer leader of Community Action and Support Alliance, a support network for formerly homeless families, and board member, Harbor Interfaith Shelter, San Pedro

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We meet every month to talk about problems we’re having. The majority are on Aid to Families with Dependent Children, but we do have some working people. I’m one.

Our main problem is getting on a waiting list to get affordable child care. We are told we can get it immediately once we go to school or find employment. But once we apply, we still have to wait for months.

We don’t want to send our kids to just anybody. Our first priority is our kids. We want to make sure it’s someone we can trust and depend on, a licensed child-care provider.

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IRIS TREJO

Extended opportunity programs and services director, Orange Coast College, Costa Mesa

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When I attended school and worked 40 hours a week, I felt like I wasn’t there for my kids. I haven’t been able to finish my degree in social ecology. My son’s grades were not very good last semester so right now I am not in school to keep him on track. I don’t think there are enough day-care centers for single moms and no child-care providers available at night. Changes need to start with supervisors at work but also support from the institution. They need to be more flexible. If I could take a class during the day, then I could be with my kids at night. But getting three hours off is really hard, especially when you hear at the office that they need you there. That really adds a lot of pressure.

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PAMALA DORTON

Office manager, Westchester Orthopedic Group, Marina del Rey

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Four years ago, I could not work because of child-care responsibilities. My work would start at 7:30 a.m. and my kids’ school started at 8 a.m.; school would be out at 3 p.m. and my work at 5 p.m. Child care for my four children would be over $1,000 a month and there was no way I could afford that.

So I was on welfare for three years. Luckily, I found the Enrich program, (a federally funded program provided through the Venice Family Clinic), which pays for my child care and health care now. But that ends in September.

There needs to be more of a community effort on child care. If companies took some of their profits and provided child care for their employees, it would be great.

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ANA JARA

Secretary, Santa Monica College, mother of four

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I work from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. I pick up my children at 5 p.m. from school (where they’re in a special parks and recreation program). But I have to leave them alone for one hour (while she returns to work).

Last year, my youngest daughter fell out of a second-story window while I was at work. Someone reported me to the Department of Children’s Services for child neglect. Luckily, we all came out of that accident OK, but it was traumatizing.

While my daughter was in the hospital, I took those days off as vacation time. My supervisor came to the hospital and told me that I didn’t have to worry about my job, so I was lucky.

If they had a child-care center at the college, that would be very helpful. At the child-care center at the children’s school, there is a long waiting list. If I qualify, I probably still could not afford it.