Child and family policies are big talking points for both the Democratic and Republican candidates for the White House this year. But when it comes to affordable child care, which ticket actually delivers? Jenny Gold covers childhood development and education for the LA Times and joined Lisa McRee on "LA Times Today" to break down their differences, and whether affordable child care is possible at all. 

What You Need To Know

  • Jenny Gold, who covers childhood development and education for the LA Times, breaks down the Democratic and Republican candidates' differences, and whether affordable child care is possible at all

  • California has some programs to assist low-income families with their childcare needs, but Gold explained, most families don't benefit from them

  • Gold explained that a healthy childcare system would have enough for each child, ensure that caregivers make a fair wage, and that families can afford to pay for that care

Gold explained how little childcare providers are being paid, even though it can cost families nearly $20,000 a year for private childcare in California.

“People who work in childcare, the caregivers, they get paid poverty wages in many cases, is about $13 an hour nationally. And yet families are paying so much, often more than college tuition or a mortgage," Gold said. "One thing we know is that high-quality care means having a consistent, loving relationship with a caregiver. So when there are givers coming in and out because they can't afford to take it to stay in a job like that, that affects the actual quality of the care that the kids are getting."

California has some programs to assist low-income families with their childcare needs, but Gold explained, most families don't benefit from them. 

"Only about 17% of kids under five in California are actually benefiting and enrolled in these public subsidy programs, even though many more are eligible. So that is helping some low-income families. But many fall through the cracks and it isn't helping those families making slightly more," she said. 

Gold explained that a healthy childcare system would have enough for each child, ensure that caregivers make a fair wage, and that families can afford to pay for that care.

Gold talked about what the Trump campaign plans to do to ease the burden of childcare. 

"Former President Trump really has not talked about childcare this time around, and it's not in his campaign proposal... So we don't really know what he's thinking this time around. But what we can say is the Project 2025 proposal would actually include a big cut to child care. It would completely eliminate the Head Start program, which helps 800,000 low-income families in the United States. That would be a major hit on the child care front," Gold said. 

Vice President Harris has been more forthcoming with her childcare agenda. 

"She's proposed restoring the pandemic-era child tax credits and giving families an extra $6,000 when they have a newborn. So parents could use that money for childcare, but they can also use it for rent or groceries or anything else. The other big thing she's proposing is a universal child care preschool program for 3- and 4-year-olds... Her formal childcare platform includes a universal preschool program for 3- and 4-year-olds and a $10 a day child care program," Gold explained. 

Gold shared her thoughts on whether a bipartisan agreement can be reached to address shortcomings in childcare. 

"It would require a lot of political capital. It would require bipartisan support for more public funding, which isn't necessarily something that gets a lot of bipartisan support. It would be a really heavy lift. And in the meantime, it's more likely that a lot of these smaller bills that kind of chip around the edges are things have a higher likelihood of passing," she said. 

Watch the full interview above.

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