In recent years, child care and early education issues have become increasingly prominent on the agendas of politicians and policymakers. Demand for child care is growing rapidly, and recent research indicates serious deficiencies in the quality of care for infant, toddler, and preschool children, who are in the most critical stages of child development. In Travis County, Texas, as in most of the nation, affordability, availability, and quality of care remain problematic for parents. The Austin area child care system in the late 1990šs is in crisis.
-- Author's foreword.
