Care for keiki a struggle for many working parents

By Deborah Adamson
Advertiser Staff Writer

Preschool children at Seagull Schools in Kailua follow an activity led by Ata Edralin, center director and teacher. Photos by Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser

Three-year-olds Poliahu Aina, left, and Alissa Bautista, eat carrots, rice and chicken nuggets at Seagull. Parents get a daily report on how much their children eat.

The only way Jalen's mother, Christina Toyama, can afford to send her son to Seagull Schools in Kailua is with full financial aid from the day care center and the federal government.

"The two of us live off his child support, pretty much," said 36-year-old Toyama, who's studying full time to be a nurse. "I don't have any income."

With child care costs running about $450 and up for all-day care from licensed providers, it's no wonder that Hawai'i parents like Toyama are hard pressed to afford it. But there are a variety of financial aid options that families can tap.

Lining up the financing is one piece of the challenge. Another hurdle is finding an opening. There are only 20,000 spots available at licensed providers and 80,000 children ages 5 and younger in the state, said Garry Kemp, assistant administrator at the state Department of Human Services who oversees policy development of child care centers. Many day care centers have wait lists, and it may take parents six months to a year to get in.

"There's a severe shortage," said Coreen Lee, associate director of People Attentive to Children (PATCH), a child care referral and resource service in Honolulu.

When Deborah Sharkey gave birth to her eldest son three years ago, she remembers having to wait eight months to get him into a day care center — at $800 a month, plus the cost of meals. Now, the owner of the Makana Mother & Baby maternity and nursing apparel boutique in Mo'ili'ili said getting into a day care center is the second biggest concern among her pregnant clients, after the health of the baby.

"From what customers tell me, things haven't changed," Sharkey said.

The Child Care Connection, a program run by the state that disburses federal money for child care costs, can help some with finances. If you are eligible, it pays as much as $475 a month toward accredited and licensed child care and $425 for centers that are licensed only. For unlicensed care, such as a relative, the program pays out a maximum of $250 a month.

It has income requirements. For instance, a family of four would qualify for some aid if they make less than $44,136 a year.

Day care centers also offer financial aid from time to time.

To boost your chances of getting into a day care center, apply early and look beyond the area where you live. Consider centers that are on your way to work, said PATCH's Lee.

If you're with the military, even as a civilian employee, the government provides child care services through places such as the Bougainville Child Development Center in Honolulu. The federal government subsidizes the cost, which ranges from $250 to $560 a month at Bougainville.

If you work or study at the University of Hawai'i, Manoa, you can apply to its child care center for students, faculty and staff.

The three-dozen Kamehameha Preschool centers in Hawai'i give preference to Native Hawaiians, but some allow non-Hawaiians as well. At Kamehameha Preschool Lincoln in Honolulu, the cost is $1,000 for nine months. But you have to apply a year in advance and there's a lottery.

Unity House, a non-profit organization serving union members, provides a small subsidy to members of Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees, Local 5, Hawai'i Teamsters and Allied Workers Union, Local 996, and its own employees.

Before you commit to a center, check on the quality and level of care.

There are about 330 pre-schools overall in the state, but only 70 of them are licensed and accredited. Accreditation requires that the center meets a higher set of standards than what a state license requires. (For the full list of accredited pre-schools, go to www.naeyc.org/accreditation/search.)

Beyond pre-schools, there are more than 500 licensed day care centers that operate out of someone's home. Then there are informal set-ups where the caregiver usually isn't licensed — like babysitters and relatives.

The quality of child care can vary widely — ranging from minimal supervision when your child is parked in front of a television all day to higher-end mentoring, such as foreign language tutoring.

Look for care givers who enjoy interacting with your child, provide toys that are appropriate for your child's age, read to your child daily, praise accomplishments and provide an interesting environment.

At the Seagull Schools pre-school in Kailua, parents get a report on what their child did everyday — down to how much food they ate.

"We send them a daily report," said Ata Edralin, director of the accredited center. "They learned blocks, they played with Play-Doh and they ate 75 percent of their lunch."

Such an accounting makes parents worry less about leaving their children, he said. Parents who are nervous about leaving their child are invited to sit in the class for two days to ease the transition.

Make sure the center has a low child-to-teacher ratio. State guidelines state that licensed child care centers should have no more than three children to a caregiver from six weeks to one year of age. Between one to two years, it should not exceed eight children to one caregiver. For three-year-olds, the ratio is one to 12, while four- to five-year-olds are one to 16.

For licensed caregivers operating out of their homes, the allowed ratio is two children 18 months and younger for every caregiver. For children 18 months to six years, it's six children to one adult.

Evaluate the provider. Get details about exactly what kind of care your child will get. Make sure their philosophy of raising children matches your own, such as how they discipline youngsters. Visit while other children are present so you can observe their interactions and activities. Bring your child to see if he or she will be comfortable there.

Check the facility. Look for any obvious hazards to children, such as open electrical outlets or lack of safety latches on drawers.

Check out the staff. How long have they worked with children? What kind of child development training or education have they had?

Ask about their rates and whether it's different for full- or part-time care and for kids of different ages. Does the fee include meals and snacks? Are there extra charges such as for late-pick up or early drop-off of your child?

Get referrals for the center from at least two other parents. If some of the responses you get make you uncomfortable, move on. Be picky.

Reach Deborah Adamson at dadamson@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8088.

DAY CARE RESOURCES

FINANCIAL AID PROGRAMS

O'ahu Head Start Program, Honolulu Community Action Program

• Phone: 847-2400
• Subsidy: Grant is based on need
• Eligibility: Based on family income and size
• Enrollment: Year-round

Other Head Start contacts:

O'ahu

• PACT Ko'olauloa Early Head Start
  Phone: 293-5530
  
  
• Parents and Children Together
  Phone: 847-3285
  
  
• Hawai'i Department of Health
  Phone: 733-9022

Kaua'i

• Child and Family Service, Inc
  Phone: 245-5914

Hawai'i

• Family Support Services of West Hawai'i
  Phone: 329-7773
  
  
• Hawai'i County Economic Opportunity Council
  Phone: 961-2686

Maui

• Maui Economic Opportunity, Inc.
  Phone: 249-2988
  
  
• Maui Family Support Service, Inc.
  Phone: 242-0900

Child Care Connections, state Department of Human Services

• Contact: O'ahu 483-7358; Hilo/East Hawai'i 981-7286; Kona/West Hawai'i 327-4755, Kaua'i 241-3660; Maui, Moloka'i and Lana'i 243-5866
• Subsidy: For full time care, as much as $250 for unlicensed providers to a maximum of $475 a month for licensed and accredited centers. Part-time rates vary.
• Eligibility: Based on family income, size and work
• Enrollment: Year-round

Maui County Childcare Subsidy Project

• Phone: 242-1608
• Subsidy: $200 to $225 per month per child for one school year
• Eligibility: Based on income
• Enrollment: July

Other resources

Alu Like, Inc., Child Care Assistance Project

• Contact: 535-1300
• Eligibility: Native Hawaiian children.
• Enrollment: Year-round on O'ahu only

Pauahi Keiki Scholars Program

• Contact: 534-8080
• Eligibility: Children of Native Hawaiian ancestry, 3 to 4 years old.
• Preschool program must be approved by Kamehameha Schools.
• Enrollment: January through April

Preschool Open Doors Program, state Department of Human Services

• Phone: O'ahu 587-5254; Neighbor Islands 1-800-746-5620
• Subsidy: Monthly subsidy per child ranging between $340 to $475 a month
• Eligibility: Subsidy is based on family income, family size and enrollment
• Enrollment: March 1 through April 30

Check on the child care center's license and history of complaints by calling the state: Honolulu — 587-5266; Waipahu — 675-0470; Hilo — 981-7290; Maui County — 243-5866; Kaua'i — 241-3660.

Sources: PATCH, Advertiser Research