    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1998, Book I)]
    [March 10, 1998]
    [Pages 347-348]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Memorandum on Steps To Improve Federally Sponsored Child Care
    March 10, 1998

    Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies

    Subject: Steps to Improve Federally Sponsored Child Care

        Now more than ever, America's working parents are struggling to
    balance their obligations to be good workers--and their more important
    obligations to be good parents. By choice or by financial necessity,
    millions of Americans rely on child care to care for their children for
    part of each day. Parents deserve to know that their children are safe
    and nurtured in child care.
        One of my highest priorities is to make child care better, safer,
    and more affordable. That is why my balanced budget includes the most
    significant investment in child care in our Nation's history and
    proposes specific measures to improve child care quality.
        As a supplier of child care and as an employer that must recruit and
    retain a strong workforce, the Federal Government should lead the way

    [[Page 348]]

    in improving child care. I am proud that our military has developed one
    of the finest child care delivery systems in the world, and that the
    Department of Defense, at my request, is sharing its expertise with the
    public and private sectors. Still, we need to do more. The executive
    branch of the Federal Government has responsibility for over 1,000 child
    care centers--788 through the military, 109 through the General Services
    Administration, and 127 through other Federal departments. In addition,
    the military oversees nearly 10,000 professional family child care
    providers. In total, approximately 215,000 children are in our care.
        Today I am directing my Administration to take significant new steps
    to improve the quality of Federally sponsored child care in the
    executive branch by (1) ensuring proper background checks of child care
    workers; (2) achieving 100 percent independent accreditation of all
    eligible centers; (3) exploring partnerships among Federal agencies and
    with the private sector to improve child care quality and affordability;
    and (4) ensuring that all Federal workers become better informed of
    child care benefits and the options available to them.
        First, all child care workers in Federally sponsored centers should
    undergo thorough background checks to make sure that our children are
    safe. The vast majority of child care workers are caring people who have
    dedicated their lives to teaching and nurturing children. But one
    tragedy in child care is too many, and criminal and civil background
    checks are necessary to determine whether the people caring for our
    children are fit for this responsibility. The military already has a
    model system to conduct background checks of child care workers. I now
    want to guarantee that workers at all nonmilitary, Federal child care
    facilities undergo such background checks in a thorough and timely
    fashion.
        I therefore direct the Administrator of General Services
    (``Administrator'') to report to me, within 90 days, with a plan to
    ensure complete and timely background checks, to the fullest extent
    possible, for all child care workers in nonmilitary, Federally sponsored
    child care settings. Agencies with oversight of nonmilitary child care
    settings will report to the Administrator within 60 days on this matter.
        Second, all Federally sponsored child care centers should receive
    nationally recognized, independent accreditation as soon as they are
    eligible to do so. Currently, only 76 percent of military centers, and
    35 percent of other Federally sponsored centers, are accredited. By the
    year 2000, 100 percent should be accredited. I therefore direct the
    Secretary of Defense and the Administrator to provide me, within 90
    days, with a plan to ensure, to the fullest extent possible,
    independent, nationally recognized accreditation of all eligible,
    Federally sponsored child care by the year 2000. Agencies with oversight
    of non-military child care settings shall report to the Administrator
    within 60 days on this matter.
        Third, partnerships among Federal agencies and with the private
    sector are an increasingly important way to maximize existing resources
    and improve child care. I therefore direct the Administrator to work
    with the heads of all Federal departments and agencies to explore
    opportunities for collaboration both within Government and with the
    private sector to improve child care quality and affordability in
    Federally sponsored settings.
        Finally, employers have a responsibility to make sure that their
    workers are better informed on child care and the options available to
    them at the national, State, and local levels. I therefore direct the
    Director of the Office of Personnel Management (``Director'') to ensure
    that, to the fullest extent possible, all Federal workers receive full
    information about child care benefits available to them on the Federal,
    State, and local levels, including information on resource and referral
    networks, available tax credits such as the Child and Dependent Care Tax
    Credit and Child Tax Credit, as well as public subsidies. The Director
    shall also host a nationwide summit designed to showcase model public
    and private sector solutions to child care needs.

                                                          William J. Clinton