State Senator Brouk attends meeting in Washington D.C. to improve child care access

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — It’s typically recognized in April, but for State Senator Samra Brouk, Take your Daughter to Work day included a trip to Washington D.C. Wednesday.

She and other lawmakers from across the country spoke with members of the Biden Administration about ways to improve child care access, affordability and workforce development.

“Especially in Monroe County, it’s a major need for us,” Brouk said.

Brouk explains the legislation she’s proposing grants families who are eligible for child care subsidies access to financial assistance on the front end instead of making them wait until all the paperwork has been processed.

“And they don’t have to sit there wondering and hoping if they will get this child care assistance and I happy to report they were very receptive to that,” she said.

She told Dr. Jill Biden and the other participants how the policy has been helpful in Monroe County which sees some of the highest need for the federal grant subsidy. Her bill would include all of New York– and she suggested other states could adopt similar legislation.

“It is a way we can truly make a difference in making sure working family get the assistance they need,” Brouk said.

Cost is one issue — but finding quality child care is another struggle.

Brouk, who’s been on child care waitlists for months, brought her one-year-old daughter Leah to the White House to help drive home the message.

“To say I viscerally feel the challenges people are facing in Monroe County is an understatement,” Brouk said. “I absolutely empathize with what people are going through. I’m lucky in some ways that I can bring my child to work and have brought my child to work when I need to but not everyone has that option and we’ve got to do better.”

Senator Brouk says she wasn’t the only parent who brought their child with them to the White House for Wednesday’s meeting. They emphasize investing in child care is a vital part of economic development.