Topeka ? Investing in quality child care programs is not only good for children but good for the Kansas economy, advocates said Thursday in releasing a new report on the industry.

The study, by Kansas Action for Children and the Mid-America Regional Council, showed that regulated child care facilities in Kansas employ more than 14,000 people and serve more than 100,000 children.

“This is much more than finger-paints and sandboxes,” said Abby Thorman, director of the Mid-America Regional Council’s Metropolitan Council on Child Care. “Child care is a vital part of the state economy.”

Thorman said with continued investment by the state in programs, more parents will have access to good care for their children and thus widen the labor pool. Further, children placed in quality settings will be better prepared for school, she said.

Child care is a $500 million industry in Kansas, Thorman said, with every $1 in state funds being matched by $3 in federal funds. She urged the state to capture as much federal money as possible.

Gary Brunk, executive of Kansas Action for Children, said public investment in child care benefits society by allowing parents to be part of the work force while producing children who are ready to learn.

“It’s really the best long-term investment the state can make,” Brunk said.