Pocono News Section

Child Care Providers Worry with Cuts Looming

Child Care Providers Worry with Cuts Looming - Friday, July 24, 2009 at 6:15PM EST

Reported by: Kyla Campbell
Friday, Jul 24, 2009 @ 06:15pm EST

BUTLER TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY -- Child care services across the state could be cut with the proposed state budget. That could mean thousands of children losing day care funding and families having to make tough decisions.

Twenty kids get fully state-funded Pre-Kindergarten day care at Country Charm Early Learning Center in Drums. Employees there say the Senate's proposed budget would cut 20,000 kids from early childhood education programs across the state, including high-risk children.

"It'll affect everybody, including students who have English as a second language, those with learning disabilities, and those with low income levels," said Country Charm's director, Dawn Smith, who adds middle-class families often make the cut for child care aid.

The cuts could also lead to 2,000 unemployed child care providers, and it could force families to decide between keeping a job or staying at home.

"There are parents who don't have the ability to pay for it, and it would mean a job loss on both ends," said Heather Critchosin, owner of Country Charm.

"We'd probably struggle to make ends meet," said Courtney Awdakimow of White Haven. She has a daughter on the way, and a son who took part in the state-funded Pre-K program at Country Charm. "it was very helpful and paid for good education he needed to prepare for Kindergarten."

But she fears kids in the future, including her soon-to-be-born daughter, could miss out if state funding is cut out.

"He wouldn't have gotten the education without state help," added Awdakimow.

The day care owner says the Senate's proposed budget would really hurt early childhood education funding. But the House's proposed budget, HB 1416, would keep most of the funding in tact.