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The child care sector is in crisis. Will lawmakers address it in 2024?

Nichelle Waddell, owner of Watch Me Grow Daycare in Stamford, takes care of 12 children with four staff members in her home. Waddell is a strong supporter of a bill signed by Governor Lamont in June aimed at helping address a shortage of childcare providers.
Mark Mirko
/
Connecticut Public
FILE: Nichelle Waddell of owner Watch Me Grow Daycare in Stamford and is a supporter of a bill signed by Governor Lamont in June, 2023, aimed at helping address a shortage of childcare providers.

Governor Ned Lamont says child care is a top priority for Connecticut’s 2024 legislative session. He tasked a panel of experts with proposing a plan to overhaul what many consider to be a broken system. In a few weeks, Lamont will present his proposal for the Blue Ribbon Panel’s first year of a five-year plan to the Connecticut General Assembly.

Families and child care providers are hoping to see major changes, like higher wages for child care providers and an increase in parent subsidies. But some wonder if the proposed plan will go far enough.

This hour, we’ll explore the reforms needed to fix an industry in crisis and what the future holds if changes aren’t made.

Plus, Bridgeport’s Democratic primary election results were overturned last Fall due to allegations of fraud. After yesterday’s court-ordered re-vote, do we finally have a winner?

GUESTS:

  • Bria Lloyd: Investigative Reporter, Connecticut Public
  • Erica Phillips: Economic Development Reporter, Connecticut Mirror 
  • Melissa Boteach: Vice President for Income Security and Child Care/Early Learning, National Women’s Law Center
  • Karen List: Founder of the PK-3 Leadership Program, University of Connecticut's Neag School of Education

The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Frankie Graziano is the host of <i>The Wheelhouse</i>, focusing on how local and national politics impact the people of Connecticut.
Chloe Wynne is a producer for The Wheelhouse, hosted by Frankie Graziano. She previously worked as a producer and reporter for the investigative podcast series, Admissible: Shreds of Evidence, which was co-produced by VPM and Story Mechanics and distributed by iHeartRadio. She began her journalism career at inewsource, an investigative newsroom in San Diego, Calif., where she covered housing, education and crime. She earned her master’s degree from Columbia Journalism School in 2021, where she focused on audio storytelling.