My name is Alicia Turner and I’m a family child care provider. I’m also a member of our union, Child Care Providers United (UDW-CCPU).

Navigating California’s child care system and the Alternative Payment (AP) programs can be difficult. So many child care providers have been hard at work to pass a bill, AB 603, that will make things a lot easier for us.

If passed, AB 603 would:

• Finally give us direct deposit, so we could get paid faster and skip a trip to the bank

• Make it mandatory for APs to notify us in writing if a child in our care loses eligibility or hours

• Require APs to describe on our checks what we are being paid for, eliminating all that frustrating guesswork

• And it would commission a study on electronic timesheets, so we can one day fill out our hours online

On July 11, I—along with fellow child care provider and UDW-CCPU member Jessica Alexander—testified before the state Senate Human Services Committee in favor of AB 603. We explained to the senators how much AB 603 would help us and they were very supportive: the bill passed unanimously out of that committee!

There are several steps before AB 603 becomes law, and UDW-CCPU members will be there every step of the way.

Making legislative changes to our payment system is one of many ways that UDW-CCPU members are coming together to make our jobs—and our lives—as child care providers better. We also hold trainings, fight for our respect and rights and hold regular meetings with the California Department of Education (CDE) to make sure the state hears our concerns before making decisions about important issues such as licensing and citations.

Get involved! Come to a meeting and find out how you can work with CUDW-CCPU to make the family child care system better for providers, families and communities. Find your nearest child care meeting location and RSVP by calling 1-888-226-7510 or emailing us at [email protected].

And be sure to stay updated at www.udwa.org/childcare.