WASHINGTON, D.C. – The national Early Childhood and Business Advisory Council (ECBAC) announced that South Carolina will join the third cohort of participating states.
The Council is a joint initiative of the Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, and the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) to support the expansion of high-quality, affordable child care in communities across the nation. The initiative aims to strengthen connections between the business and early childhood fields in locations where child care has been identified as a priority.
"Child care is a family issue, a workforce issue, and an economic issue,” said Linda Smith, director of policy at the Institute. “Addressing the child care crisis requires an ‘all-hands-on-deck’ approach.”
In 2019, BPC identified a gap of over 36,000 child care spaces for children under the age of five in South Carolina. However, lack of access to affordable child care is a nationwide problem and it is among the few issues that has bipartisan support both in Washington, D.C. and in state legislatures throughout the country.
Child care is a broken business model that contributes to a significant lack of access for many families.
“The business community suffers when parents can’t find child care,” said Aaron Merchen, executive director of policy for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. “The business community brings a vital perspective to the table, and we look forward to South Carolina joining the Council.”
Four new states are being added to the Council this year, including New Hampshire, Georgia, Nebraska, and South Carolina. Other states in the Council include Alaska, Montana, Arizona, Alabama, Ohio, South Dakota, North Carolina, Indiana, and Louisiana.
Each state team is made up of key early childhood and business stakeholders. South Carolina’s team is led by:
- Cynthia Bennett, executive vice president and chief operation officer, South Carolina Chamber of Commerce
- Michele Bowers, division director, Division of Early Care and Education, South Carolina Department of Social Services
- Morgan Massenburg, outreach manager, Division of Early Care and Education, South Carolina Department of Social Services