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NORTHRIDGE (CNS) - Working moms struggling to find quality, affordable child care are planning a rally in Northridge Monday to call attention to the challenges they face raising families.
Part of a nationwide campaign called A Day Without Child Care, the rally will take place at Dignity Health - Northridge Hospital Medical Center starting at 10 a.m. Monday.
Los Angeles City Council member Nithya Raman; child care providers; working parents, including health care workers who require child care, child care advocates, children; and representatives from the Child Care Resource Center are expected to attend the rally.
The rally comes the day after Mother's Day when all moms are celebrated. Working moms will be the focus of efforts to call attention to the burdens they bear from lack of child care.
Mothers miss more work or work fewer hours than fathers to care for children, according to reports from the U.S. Department of Labor. The rally is directed at Gov. Gavin Newsom to address the challenges working moms face, including child care deserts, long waiting lists for child care facilities, low wages for providers, and the high cost of care.
The organizers of the rally are asking Newsom to expand access to quality, affordable child care for working families and ensure child care providers are paid appropriately.
The governor's revised budget proposal contains cuts to child care services and programs provided by the state. One proposal is a cut to Cal WORKs which provides eligible families child care subsidies.
Rally organizers say in Los Angeles, there are only enough licensed child care spots to serve 4% of the city's infant and toddler population and more than 60% of families in Los Angeles live in child care deserts, communities without proper child care.
Family child care providers will be open on Monday to be available to provide services for working parents.