Karla Reed | Child care provider for 15 years

When my own kids were very young, my focus became giving them the tools they needed to prepare them for school. I became a family child care provider to educate not only my own children, but other children in my community as well.

Many of the kids in my home-based daycare start with me as infants, and stay in my care until they are 12 years old. I’ve seen the benefits of receiving care from one consistent child care provider. In the 12 years my kids are with me, I am a constant source of education, nurturing, and support. This is why when my kids get older, and start their lives, they often come back to visit me.

Unfortunately, it’s tough to be that consistent presence in a child’s life when we work in a broken system where parents who need it often lose access to affordable child care. If child care providers had a part in repairing California’s system, we’d fix this and many of the other problems facing families and providers.