Authorizing the City Council's Committee on Legislative Oversight to hold a hearing to examine how the City of Philadelphia and the State of Pennsylvania can work together to better insure the safety of our children in child care settings.

WHEREAS, During the past summer an infant died in an unregulated child care establishment; and

WHEREAS, There were allegedly several reports of abuse that had occurred to infants in the same facility within the previous six months; and

WHEREAS, There are tens of thousands of small children in unlicensed and unregulated child care facilities in the City of Philadelphia; and

WHEREAS, Working parents must rely on local and state governmental agencies to insure that their children are protected in child care settings; and

WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare, the State Office of Children and Youth, the Philadelphia Department of Licenses & Inspections, the Philadelphia Division of Children & Youth in the Department of Human Services, and the Philadelphia Police Department all have varying degrees of responsibility in these areas; and

WHEREAS, City and State officials and citizens of our City need to understand what events occurred that caused the death of this infant in order to prevent its reoccurrence; and

WHEREAS, There may exist a need for new procedures, stricter laws and regulations, and a general review of the responsibilities of the City and State in addressing the issues of child care establishments in our City; now therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That it hereby authorizes the City Council's Committee on Legislative Oversight to hold a hearing to examine how the City of Philadelphia and the State of Pennsylvania can work together to better insure the safety of our children in child care settings.

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