In our recent webinar, we heard from families, providers, and advocates who are working to make California a place where every infant and toddler can get the care they need—and every family and caregiver is supported. The conversation made one thing clear: Californians are ready for change.
That’s why we launched this campaign with a bold goal—to transform California’s child care system so families can save money, providers can stay in the field, and our communities and economy can thrive. To help more people understand the campaign and get involved, we’re answering a few of the questions we’ve heard along the way since our launch.
Q: What inspired the campaign to launch now?
Each of our partners has been inspired to be part of the campaign based on their experience and leadership in California’s child care sector. Here’s what some of them had to say:
Cristina Alvarado, Child Care Alliance of Los Angeles: It is difficult to find child care and children ages 0 to 3 don’t just appear in the public school system. They need all the support that we can give them to prepare them for the future. It’s critically important, now more than ever, to prioritize child care and make sure that everyone has access to it, just like everyone has access to public schools.
Humberto Manuel Estratalan, UNITE-LA: I needed subsidized child care as a baby. My children need care as well—affordable, quality care. No matter where you live, where you work, or what hours of the day you work. That’s something we don’t talk a lot about. After hour care, weekend care, we all need care. Whether you have kids or not, this impacts you. Your coworker has children, your family has kids. Kids who are now adults are caring for us as doctors and nurses. Everyone is impacted by access to child care.
Q: How can partners get involved? What can they do to support AGS4K?
Partners can visit our website and follow us on social media (Facebook, Instagram). In the future, we’ll be conducting message trainings, hosting campaign events, and providing opportunities to be an official supporter of the campaign. Sign up for our newsletter for more information on these opportunities in the coming months.
Q: What organizations are a part of A Golden State For Kids?
A Golden State For Kids is led by the Child Care Alliance of Los Angeles (CCALA) in partnership with Children Now, The Children’s Partnership, Crystal Stairs, Inc, and UNITE-LA. This group of organizations informed the development of this campaign with diverse perspectives from across the early care and education field.
As our campaign officially launched in 2025, we hope additional organizations will partner with the campaign in alignment with our goal to build demand for accessible child care in California!
Q: Why is the campaign starting in Los Angeles?
Los Angeles is the most populous county in California, and in many ways, a microcosm of our state. In the aftermath of this year’s fires, the need for accessible child care is greater than ever. Our campaign’s footprint will begin with a focus in Los Angeles, but we intend for this to be a statewide campaign and have plans to expand beyond LA in 2026.
Q: What are the campaign’s plans for the rest of this year?
As a public urgency campaign, we are focused on building momentum and telling the stories of those impacted by our state and county’s lack of support for child care, whether that’s parents, providers, businesses, or broader communities. We plan to collaborate with communities across the county to show the impact and importance of child care. You’ll see more of our campaign in the coming months!
This campaign is just getting started, and there will be plenty of opportunities to get involved in the months ahead. To stay in the loop, sign up for our newsletter and follow us on social media.
Together, we can make child care a priority in California—and build a future where every child, family, and community can thrive.