Reimagining Care Across Generations CHILDCARE

Описание: Abundance Policy for Care Systems Across California

Research points towards potential pathways that can deliver high-quality care throughout the lifespan of all Californians. Three policy experts explore how California can expand access to childcare, healthcare, and eldercare through abundance policy design.

At some point in our lives, all human beings depend on the care of others — if not in the present, then certainly in our past and for many, also in our future. Whether from a family member or legal guardian, a medical professional or a care worker, the support of others is an essential precondition for personal well-being and shared prosperity.

When care systems function well, young children have people who provide them with love, learning, and physical safety, working parents have affordable options to support their children’s growth, families do not struggle with overwhelming medical debt, and the elderly can age with dignity.

In a place like California, where we take pride in our strong communities, why do some people still struggle to access essential care services for themselves or their families? And what would it take to move from scarcity to abundance in the care economy, so that people at every stage of life can receive the support they need?

In the summer of 2024, the Possibility Lab invited public policy researchers from across California to share their ideas on addressing these questions. Here, we present reports from three policy experts: Anna Powell (childcare), Leif Haase (healthcare), and Mireille Jacobson (eldercare).