Children Are Listening: Conversations for Their Future. Proceedings of the Statewide Forums on Child Care (Scottsdale, Prescott, Phoenix, and Tucson, Arizona, September and October 1996).

Child care is an issue of profound significance for children and society, but it is faced with many unresolved difficulties. Children's Action Alliance in Arizona held a series of public forums around the state to give people a wider view of the child care dilemma and to provide a public hearing for those most affected by child care difficulties. The formats ranged from roundtable brainstorming to facilitated public meetings with representative panels. This document offers a synthesis of those events and participants' comments. When the forum discussions were reviewed as a whole, four general themes could be identified that appeared common statewide: (1) parents have trouble finding and paying for safe and nurturing care; (2) child care providers tolerate low wages and lack of benefits or training because costs must be controlled; (3) expanded regulation is being called for to raise care standards, but neither parents nor providers can afford the extra costs that go with it; and (4) these situations are getting worse with time, not better. The report also includes a summary of comments and ideas on participants' vision for child care and the efforts needed to realize this vision. (EV)