County eyes program to improve child care

The Clark County Commission is considering a proposal today to improve the state's poor ranking in child-care services.

The "Standards of Care" program will attempt to aid families in making informed choices before selecting a child-care provider. It comes on the heels of Working Mother magazine ranking Nevada 47th in the nation for child care.

Commissioner Erin Kenny has asked the commission to approve a six-month pilot program in which a third party, under a "request for proposal" (RFP), will seek to identify concerns of parents and child-care providers.

The project, as proposed by Kenny, would seek to:

Working Mother magazine found that only six centers in Nevada were accredited by the National Association for Education of Young Children. A 1996 survey showed that there were 291 child-care centers and 565 family-care centers -- where children are taken care of in private homes -- throughout the state.

Nevada also scored low because many child-care center directors only had a high school diploma or its equivalent. Many staff members at centers had fewer credentials and made only minimum wages.

By contrast, directors in Indiana are required to have a bachelor's degree with some credits in early childhood education. And Pennsylvania requires its directors to have an associate's degree.

Other states financially support continued education for employees at child-care centers. Nevada, again, has done nothing.

Assemblywoman Vivian Freeman, D-Reno, said she tried to get support from the Ways and Means Committee at the last legislative session, but her efforts died in committee.

"Last session, our Legislature chose to use surplus money to fund an automobile museum and revamp their own offices instead of investing in children," Marilyn Ives of the Child Care Resources Council in Reno said in response to the magazine's survey.

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