Serious lack of funding to subsidize day care here, also, Bobert. Day care services have always been underfunded. I'm not sure of the why's on that. I think the States have to put up a significant amount of the funding for day care supplements, and I think the funding comes from a patchwork of assorted programs and grants.

I know little, if anything, about day care supplement programs or funding, but I'm going to speculate that the State doesn't want to get into the business of licensing and regulating every single woman who provides day care in her home. I think I am correct in saying that in North Carolina, the State will only provide day care assistance when the service is provided by a licensed provider (read facility.) And then, only if money is available to do so. To require licensing of home providers would drive many of them out of business, greatly reduce the already tight availability of day care providers, and disrupt the underground economy enough that it would increase the demand for public assistance. I think there is also a good bit of cost shifting to parents and Boards of Education for school age children who attend school-based aftercare programs.

The lack of funding also probably reflects the remnants of that double standard that women so often get caught in--they should stay home and care for there children, but they should also work for peanuts outside the home.

I don't know that I agree that TANF and Work First blame women anymore than did AFDC. The rules and regs. DO continue to operationalize our western/protestant/capitalistic belief that the poor have only themselves to blame.

Janie