Aid Offered to Help With Child Care During Pandemic

As a single mother and an essential worker, Maryam Dakhteh knows how vital affordable child care is during these uncertain times.

"I am mom and I am worker too," she said. "I can't stop all everything, I'm very responsible."

She admits it was stressful when schools closed and she became a teacher in addition to her other responsibilities.

"It was a lot of stress doing everything taking care of her, doing homework, cooking, everything you know?"

Help came recently in the form of free child care for essential workers.

"I can do better job so I'm very grateful for that help they give us and also this day care."

Both the federal and state governments have allocated millions of dollars for child care for essential workers.

"There are child care slots available right now in the county," said Jesse Salazar, the executive director of Pathways LA, which provides resources for quality child care and early education for low income families. "Essential workers need to contact their local resource and referral agency to apply."

"Working poor families are hit the hardest during this period, therefore we need to protect access to childcare for essential workers."

He and others called on the governor Monday to continue supporting free child care, especially with the uncertainty of schools reopening under normal schedules in the fall.

"We know that more than 75% of state funded child care systems serve children of essential workers," he said.

Essential workers have until June 30 to apply for the assistance.