Kids Co.: Quality Child Care in Seattle

Winter 2007
Afterschool Q & A
Susan Brown, Kids Co. President and CEO, responds to some questions on how high-quality afterschool care positively impacts the community, children and families.
Q:	What is meant by "afterschool," and why should anyone be concerned about it?
A:	School-age kids are only in school from 9 am to 3 pm. That leaves a gap of about three hours between the end of the school day, and before most parents get home from work. Children need a safe, enriching and fun place to be during their out-of-school time.
Q:	Is afterschool just about keeping kids busy for a few hours?
A:	Hardly! In the case of Kids Co., afterschool time is ripe with opportunities for social, emotional and intellectual growth. Our centers are comfortable and home-like, offering children the chance to wind down from their busy school day to play games, eat a nutritious snack, read a book, make an art project or hang out with friends. Homework time, literacy-rich environments, science and math activities as well as opportunities for creative outlets like drama and music are all a part of each Kids Co. program.
Q:	You mentioned intellectual growth. Haven't kids just spent all day in school?
A:	Children do not stop learning after the school bell rings at 3 pm. Rising academic standards require students to have more learning opportunities. High-quality afterschool programs like Kids Co. support student success in school. All seven of our programs happen to be on-site at neighborhood elementary schools. At each of our Seattle locations, we implement an Alignment Partnership Plan with Seattle Public Schools, which helps guide our staff in providing fun, stimulating and meaningful enrichment activities that coordinate with educational goals and standards of the school.
Q:	In our area, in households headed by two parents, both generally work. Then you've got single parents to consider. The fact that the school day ends at 3 pm, well before the work day ends, must create some stress for parents?
A:	Yes, indeed. Studies show that parents who do not have access to quality afterschool programs for their kids are more likely to report high levels of job disruption, missed days of work, increased errors and decreased productivity. Parents need the peace-of-mind that comes from knowing their kids are in an enriching, caring and safe environment when not in school.
Q:	Outside of the parents and kids who utilize afterschool programs, who else benefits?
A:	The whole community! Unsupervised children are at more risk to engage in unsafe or unhealthy activities. The hours between 3 and 6 pm are the peak hours for juvenile crime and experimentation with risky behavior. Participation in high-quality afterschool programs with caring adult supervision keeps kids safe and provides healthy alternatives to risky behavior.
Q:	If afterschool care is so beneficial to children and the community, then why are so many kids home alone or engaged in risky activities after school?
A:	Cost is a huge barrier to many families. Due to the high cost of child care, low-income working families and single parents are often forced to choose from sub-standard care or no care at all. Kids Co. eliminates cost as a barrier to high-quality afterschool care, providing tuition assistance to 40% of the children we serve each year. The simple fact that high-quality programs are not present in all communities is another problem. Kids Co. has a goal of expanding to serve more communities to address the lack of availability as a barrier.