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The End of Child Labor
In the beginning of the 1900s children worked long hours in factories or a farm. In 1938 came the end of child labor. It required factories to only hire adults. Because of this, children had gained significant amounts of free time. This caused children to lack any adult supervision. -
Changes in the American Labor Force
After school programs have grown due to the rising labor force. After World War II, woman started to break out of traditional family roles and began to join the labor force. This gave rise for the need of child supervision, while mothers were working. This increased the need for a safe after school setting supervised by adults. -
Latch Key Children
During the war, millions of men left causing woman to fill the work force. Latch Key is a term used for children who went home to empty houses and wore a door key around their house. This gave rise to funding for afterschool programs -
The Changing American Neighborhood
Expanding cities and neighborhoods greatly impacted after school settings. Children were now playing in streets and unsafe areas and were subjected to crime, gangs, and violence. Neighborhoods were becoming unsafe and this caused many concerns. As a result, organizations began to form to give children a safer place to be after school. -
Changing Family Structures
The rising rates of maternal employment had an impact on after school structures. Parental supervision of children during after school hours became extremely difficult for working families. Another contributing factor was the rise in single-parent homes. -
Comprehensive Child Development Act of 1971
The Comprehensive Child Development Act was the
most comprehensive child care policy ever proposed at 2 million dolalrs. As proposed, this legislation provided the right to quality child care services for all children regardless of
socioeconomic status. However, it was then vetoed. -
Funding Child Care and Afterschool programs
The 1990s brought the importance of school aged care. Afterschool programs were seen to offset the negative effects of poverty. During this time,the first National Funding for childcare and school aged funding emerged using subsidized care. The Childcare and Development Block Grant was created which used subsidized support for quality child care and after school care for low income families. -
Child Care Development and Block Grant (CCDBG)
Created in 1990 by President Clinton. The grant
provides assistance to low-income households and those receiving or transitioning off public
assistance, through subsidized child care expenses. Funds can be used for school aged children as well. -
Research Exposing Growing Equity Gap
What children do after schools hours and during summer really matters. During After school hours, millions of children are left without supervision or constructive activities. Research shows these times are also the peak hours for juvenile crime. -
Funding Sources and Successes and Challenges of Afterschool Programs in CA today
On September 13, 2017 a new law passed. The House of Representatives voted to restore $100 million of the 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) afterschool and summer learning funding that had been cut in the Make America Secure and Prosperous Appropriations Act.
