Government Shutdown and Child Care

By Hannah Matthews Together with eight early childhood and public health organizations, CLASP is releasing Raising Smart, Healthy Kids In Every State , a report that details the early childhood and health benefits of President Obama's plan to expand early education through an increase in federal tobacco taxes.

Information with links for shutdown directions from HHS, Dept of Ed and USDA.

Federal and state revenue and spending matter not only to the CCDBG subsidy program but also to the capacity of state licensing agencies to be effective; state preK programs and the public schools overall; and supports for parent employment and their ability to afford enrollment in child care and early education programs. Federal Government Shutdown October 1 marked the first day of the new federal fiscal year and unfortunately the first federal government shutdown in 17 years.

ACF Home " Office of Family Assistance " ACF Issues Letter on TANF in Event of Government Shutdown

This is an overview of what to expect. Child care isn't mentioned but good to understand what is happening. WASHINGTON - It's been 17 years since the federal government last faced a partial shutdown because Congress and the president couldn't agree on a spending bill. A lot has changed in that time, leaving federal employees, citizens and even government decision-makers confused about what a shutdown would mean. Every shutdown is different.

The federal fiscal year ends at midnight on September 30. If Congress does not pass and the President does not sign appropriations bills, the government will shut down until a Continuing Resolution or appropriations bills is enacted. A shutdown would mean a hold on checks for Head Start, child care, education and a host of federally funded services.

A small number of Head Start programs, about 20 out of 1,600 nationally, would feel the impact right away. The federal Administration for Children and Families says grants expiring about Oct. 1 would not be renewed. Over time more programs would be affected. Several of the Head Start programs that would immediately feel the pinch are in Florida. It’s unclear if they would continue serving children.

The deadline for Congress to approve a national budget is midnight tonight, but an agreement doesn't appear to be in sight, reports ABC News. If the budget is not approved, many segments of our federal government will stop functioning, starting tomorrow.

Gov't Shutdown and Assistance Payments Daycare Center and Family Home Forum

Also in trouble would be TANF, which provides cash to the indigent, and the Social Services Block Grant, which provides state funding for things like elder abuse protection, senior services, and child care. TANF is a mandatory program, but because its reauthorization expired Tuesday, it would need to be extended in a continuing resolution or another vehicle to continue along.

The 19,000 slots are served by the 23 Head Start centers that receive federal funding on Oct. 1. (Other Head Start centers get their federal money at different times, and there are about 1,600 Head Start grantees in all.) The government is not distributing new grant money due to the shutdown, but in some cases, according to my colleague Alyson Klein's reporting, some centers may have enough money squirreled away to get them through a short time.The Office of Head Start won't know immediately how many children are affected. (Alyson's government shutdown "cheat sheet" gives great information on all of the federal programs that touch children and schools.)

Here is what we have gleaned from the Administration and other analysts about how the Shutdown of 2013 affects the ingredients all babies need to thrive: Good Health, Strong Families, and Positive Early Learning Experiences.

As the result of Republicans' three-year campaign to undermine Obamacare by threatening government funding, the first shutdown in 17 years began at midnight October 1. It directly affects not only 800,000 government workers who have been furloughed, but also the U.S. economy, visitors to historic sites, Americans' public safety and health care, and more.

The federal WIC program which helps provide healthy food for about 66,000 Iowans is among the programs affected by the government shut down. "If I didn't have WIC we would have been in a lot of trouble." says Ashley Wessel of Des Moines, "There was no way we would have been able to afford all the formula that we needed."

Updated and new information about how the government shutdown impacts child care and child nutrition programs. Including more links to additional and more detailed information.

The federal government has been shut down for almost a week. The public does not like it. The drivers of the shutdown strategy are starting to acknowledge it has failed to stop or delay the new health care law. The House has begun to enact funding measures for popular programs such as the national parks, veterans' services, and WIC.

ACF Home " Office of Family Assistance " ACF Issues Letter on TANF in Event of Government Shutdown

MWR – Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Programs /nonappropriated fund activities/other operations necessary to support “excepted activities” (i.e. – activities/programs that will not affected by furlough/shutdown) will continue. Examples of these excepted activities are: operation of dining facilities, physical training, and child care activities required to support readiness. - See more at: http://www.dodlive.mil/index.php/2013/10/continuing-family-support-during-a-government-shutdown-2/#sthash.EeWAWkAR.dpuf

The failure to pass real appropriation bills that invest in children and families harms our local, state and national economies as well as individual children and families. Effective, functioning government helps support effective, functioning services that make children, families and our nation stronger and more secure. We urge Congress and the Administration to return to the appropriations process for all programs and services and to make the important investments in children and families that will help America prosper and reach its potential.

"Children have only one childhood. Every day that children are being denied early education and nutritious food impacts their chances of living to their full potential. We must stand up for children across the country. The federal government shutdown must end and Congress should return to work to ensure the welfare of our children and our nation."

Since the government was forced to shut down on October 1 st one of the most common refrains has been that some members of Congress are acting like children-or, more accurately, worse than most children. Even five-year-olds understand that quitting the game and taking the ball home because the other team won't give you your way is wrong.

The government shutdown hasn't hobbled most of the safety net for the nation's poor, elderly and sick, but if the congressional impasse drags into November, several programs that help families buy food will be in trouble -- meaning a prolonged shutdown could steal food from babies. (via YouTube)

Don't just get mad, take action to help urge a responsible end to the shutdown that's affecting millions of families and children. "The consequences are grave if we don't open our mouths." - Deborah Weinstein, executive director, CHN Now in its second week, the partial government shutdown is starting to have real impact on workers, communities and families.