Senator Nancy Skinner announces SB 234 the “Keeping Kids Close to Home Act”

Senator Nancy Skinner announces SB 234 the “Keeping Kids Close to Home Act” State Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, today unveiled the “Keeping Kids Close to Home Act,” which seeks to expand childcare opportunities for California families and reduce costs and red tape for home childcare providers statewide. The legislation, Senate Bill 234, would allow large family childcare homes that provide care for up to 14 children to avoid costly and burdensome zoning and permitting requirements in order to help serve more kids and families.

“Family childcare is vitally important for families and our communities,” Sen. Skinner said. “But childcare has increasingly become too expensive and too difficult to find. In addition, many cities and counties have effectively blocked the creation or expansion of large family daycare homes through onerous zoning laws and permitting regulations, leaving families with nowhere to turn.”

Nearly 40 years ago, the state Legislature approved the Child Day Care Facilities Act in an effort to increase the availability of childcare throughout California. That law allows small family daycare homes that may provide care for up to eight children to be considered “a residential use” under local ordinances.

But the law has failed to keep up with the needs of modern families. Today, licensed childcare is available to less than one-quarter (23 percent) of children of working families, and the state has lost almost a third of its family childcare homes since 2006, according to a 2017 report by The California Child Care Resource & Referral Network. In addition, families are often forced to commute long distances to their children’s daycare.

Under SB 234, the Keeping Kids Close to Home Act, large family daycare homes that provide care to up to 14 children would receive the same exemptions under local neighborhood zoning and permitting laws that small family childcare homes enjoy. Some forward-thinking cities and counties already do this, and have reformed their local ordinances to accommodate large family daycare homes.

SB 234 will equalize and update state law to encourage and support childcare throughout California. It’s co-sponsored by the Child Care Law Center and California Child Care Resource & Referral Network.

"Finding safe, affordable childcare close to home shouldn’t have to feel like winning the lottery, but for too many parents, it does. Family childcare providers help working parents breathe easy," said Laurie Furstenfeld, senior staff attorney of the Child Care Law Center.

"Communities work when children are cared for. Family childcare providers offer warm, nurturing, engaging care, and often meet the cultural and linguistic needs of families," said Keisha Nzewi, director of Public Policy of the CA Resource & Referral Network. SB 234 also affirms California’s commitment to fostering home-based childcare in neighborhood settings that can contribute positively to a child’s emotional, cognitive, and educational development.

“This legislation also helps struggling families who are too often asked to sacrifice their child’s well-being,” Skinner said. “And it will help low-income childcare providers, many of whom are women of color.” Sen.

Nancy Skinner (@NancySkinnerCA) represents the 9th Senate District.