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The first group of stipends, ranging from $135 to $1320, was to be
distributed this week to Santa Barbara County child care providers,
as a result of funding from Proposition 10, the 1998 tobacco tax initiative
approved by California voters. The money is dedicated to early care
and education programs that serve children age five and younger.
In this first year of the grant, 409 applicants were awarded stipends
— 56 for family child care providers and 353 for center-based child
care providers — for more than $363,000. This figure includes a
state match of $100,698.
The training and retention stipend program is a partnership between
the Santa Barbara Children and Families Commission and the Santa Barbara
Child Care Planning Council. The stipends are intended to act as incentives
for people to remain in the field and to pursue additional professional
growth. The goal is to increase the county’s supply of early care
and education professionals.
The Child Care Planning council was awarded a three-year grant in July
for $1.9 million to establish an Office of Early Care and Education
that included the training and retention stipend program.
To qualify for a stipend, child care providers must have worked for
the same program for nine months last year, met certain minimum education
or training requirements, and filled other priorities as determined
by a committee of the Local Child Care Planning Council.
Santa Barbara County facts:
• The waiting list for subsidized child care includes 4,000 names
• There is a shortage of licensed child care for families of all
income levels
• Local Child Care Planning Council estimates that 10,000 more
child care slots are needed countywide
• About one-half of family child care providers go out of business
the first year
• About 51 percent of children aged 0–5 are in care outside
the family
• The average salary for a child care provider is $16,140 –
$20,900
Nationwide, turnover is a big issue for early care and education, mostly
due to low wages and lack of benefits. It is believed that higher pay
and better training would encourage providers to stay in the field.
“By awarding these 409 professionals with stipends, we have directly
impacted the quality of service being provided to 6,000 more children
throughout Santa Barbara County,” explained Sharol Viker, program
quality improvement project coordinator.
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