Tips

• You probably won’t speak directly to the legislator. Be prepared to leave a voicemail or talk to someone on their staff.
• Write out what you want to say. A script will help you stay focused and on topic.
• Be clear about your position. This will help staff ensure your call is tallied correctly.
• Make your call personal. Share a story about why child care matters to you.
• Share your expertise. Do a little research and have some quick child care facts handy.
• Keep it concise. Your script should be one minute or less.
• Give your location information. It’s how the staff knows you are a constituent.
• Consider calling the local office. The local office is usually less busy than the DC office, making it easier to talk with staff.

Sample Phone Call Script:

Hi, my name is [Your Name]. I am your constituent from [Name of City or Town] and I live at [give an address or zip code]. I’d like to speak to the staff member who works on child care funding. [wait while they connect you to the appropriate staff member or ask you to leave a message]

[reintroduce yourself] Hi, my name is [Your Name]. I am your constituent from [Name of City or Town] and I live at [give an address or zip code]. [state your reason for calling] I’m calling today to ask [Senator/Representative Last Name] to support additional child care funding in the appropriations bill for fiscal year 2023 [list specific bill or issues you’re calling about].

[give your connection to the issue and specific reasons for your request] As a child care provider, I know how important child care is to the families I serve, the child care providers I employ, and the businesses in my community. Without access to high-quality, affordable child care parents can’t work and businesses can’t provide services. The child care sector has not recovered from the pandemic. We need your help to be able to rebuild. A strong child care sector promotes strong families and strong communities.

[thank you and repeat ask] I’d like to thank the [Senator/Representative] for his/her support of child care in the past and encourage him/her to vote for additional funding with this appropriations bill.

[if leaving a voicemail conclude with name, full address, and telephone number] Again, my name is [give full name] and I live at [address] and I can be contacted at [phone number]. Thank you for your time.