FACT SHEETS AND REPORTS
Roadmap for Our Children. 2020 ESCCC/WBNY Legislative Agenda. (January 2020)
2020-2021 Child Care Executive Budget Request. (January 2020)
Report: Restoring the Grid: An Intersectional Approach to the Child Care Crisis. Brightside Up. (January 2020). www.brightsideup.org/news/capital-region-short-on-spaces-for-daycare-wrgb-cbs-6-coverage
Report: Declining Child Care Option for Young Children. Pete Nabozny. The Children's Agenda (January 9, 2020)
The child care system capacity for infants and toddlers in Rochester and Monroe County have been significantly declining. This creates a burden on parents who need to work in order to support their families and an inconvenience on children who need to thrive through continuous developmental learning. This report was created to inform leaders in Rochester, Monroe County, and New York State about the growing shortage of regulated care for young children, and to identify policies that can strengthen this crucial support for families. Please see report here: https://thechildrensagenda.org/publications/declining-child-care-options-for-young-children-full-report/
Report: Shouldering the Strain: How Counties Cope with Inadequate Child Care Funding. Susan Antos, Lily Pickett. Empire Justice Center.
(December 11, 2019)
Child care is unaffordable, underfunded, and most of the time unavailable for many New York families. Unfortunately, New York State ranks 6th out of all 50 states for the most expensive infant care. Shouldering the Strain: How Counties Cope with Inadequate Child Care breaks down the top methods that counties across New York State employ to deal with this chronic and worsening underfunding. Please see report here: empirejustice.org/resources_post/shouldering-strain-counties-cope-inadequate-child-care-funding/
New York Child Care Facts
The cost of child care in NY rivals mortgage payments. New York State ranks among the most expensive states for child care in the nation. The average cost for full-time center-based care is $15,000 a year for an infant. See Child Care Aware report “Parents and the High Cost of Child Care: NY Snapshot." 2019. info.childcareaware.org/hubfs/2019%20Price%20of%20Care%20State%20Sheets/New%20York.pdf?utm_campaign=2019%20Cost%20of%20Care&utm_source=2019%20COC%20-%20NY
Because of inadequate funding, numerous counties have set their subsidy levels at less than 200% of poverty.
61% of New Yorkers live in a child care desert. Even for families who can cover child care costs, many cannot find quality care in their communities. New Yorkers are more likely to live in a child care desert (defined as a community with no child care, or so few providers that there are more than three children for ever licensed child care slot) than in 20 of the 22 states studied. See Center for America Report “Mapping America’s Child Care Deserts”, August, 2017
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/early-childhood/reports/2017/08/30/437988/mapping-americas-child-care-deserts/
Many of the pre-school and child care educators caring for New York’s youngest are paid wages that leave them living at or near poverty. In New York, 59% of the families of people who care for young children participate in public income support programs at a cost of $192.1 million. See New York's Early Childhood Workforce Index 2016 from the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (SCCE). A recent New York Times article reports that many preschool teachers across the nation “live on the edge of financial ruin.” See New York Times Magazine article, “Why Are Our Most Important Teachers Paid the Least? Would improving their training — and their pay — improve outcomes for their students?” (January 9, 2018).
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/09/magazine/why-are-our-most-important-teachers-paid-the-least.html
The shortage of quality, affordable child care hurts New York’s businesses and its economy. The lack of access to affordable, quality child care causes businesses to suffer decreased productivity as a result of employee absenteeism and higher rates of turnover. Companies in the United States lose over $3 billion annually as a consequence of child care related issues, predominately absences due to a lack of accessible child care. Elswick, J. (2003, Jun. 15). More Employers Offer Back-Up Care. Employee Benefit News. http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-23549740_ITM
The business case for investing in child care is so compelling, the US Chamber of Commerce Foundation recently called upon business leaders to champion investment. Stevens, K.B. (2017, Jun.). Workforce of Today, Workforce of Tomorrow: The Business Case for High-Quality Childcare. U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Center for Education and Workforce.
https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/sites/default/files/Workforce%20of%20Today%20Workforce%20of%20Tomorrow%20Report_0.pdf
Child care as an industry can be an economic driver. In New York, industry revenue combined with spillover effects (additional spending in the community) has a $6.8 billion impact on the economy. See Committee for Economic Development, “Child Care in State Economies.” (2015) Yet, providers – many of them small, women-run businesses struggle to keep their doors open because subsidy reimbursement levels have remained flat since 2015 while operating costs have soared, including the increasing minimum wage. The minimum wage in NYS as of January 1, 2018 is:
NYS Minimum Wage – December 31, 2018
NYC - Large Employers (of 11 or more) $15/hr
NYC - Small Employers (10 or less) $13.50/hr
Long Island & Westchester - $12/hr
Rest of State: $11.10
We look forward to working in partnership with our community and legislative allies, including Assembly member Jaffee, chair of the Assembly Committee on Children, to secure an increase of state investment in child care totaling at least $100 million.
[1] Thank you to Susan Antos of Empire Justice Center for gathering this information from counties. Please note, eligibility changes frequently; this is up to date as of October 31, 2018. This does not reflect counties that are technically at 200% but have closed intake.
2020-2021 Child Care Executive Budget Request. (January 2020)
Report: Restoring the Grid: An Intersectional Approach to the Child Care Crisis. Brightside Up. (January 2020). www.brightsideup.org/news/capital-region-short-on-spaces-for-daycare-wrgb-cbs-6-coverage
Report: Declining Child Care Option for Young Children. Pete Nabozny. The Children's Agenda (January 9, 2020)
The child care system capacity for infants and toddlers in Rochester and Monroe County have been significantly declining. This creates a burden on parents who need to work in order to support their families and an inconvenience on children who need to thrive through continuous developmental learning. This report was created to inform leaders in Rochester, Monroe County, and New York State about the growing shortage of regulated care for young children, and to identify policies that can strengthen this crucial support for families. Please see report here: https://thechildrensagenda.org/publications/declining-child-care-options-for-young-children-full-report/
Report: Shouldering the Strain: How Counties Cope with Inadequate Child Care Funding. Susan Antos, Lily Pickett. Empire Justice Center.
(December 11, 2019)
Child care is unaffordable, underfunded, and most of the time unavailable for many New York families. Unfortunately, New York State ranks 6th out of all 50 states for the most expensive infant care. Shouldering the Strain: How Counties Cope with Inadequate Child Care breaks down the top methods that counties across New York State employ to deal with this chronic and worsening underfunding. Please see report here: empirejustice.org/resources_post/shouldering-strain-counties-cope-inadequate-child-care-funding/
New York Child Care Facts
The cost of child care in NY rivals mortgage payments. New York State ranks among the most expensive states for child care in the nation. The average cost for full-time center-based care is $15,000 a year for an infant. See Child Care Aware report “Parents and the High Cost of Child Care: NY Snapshot." 2019. info.childcareaware.org/hubfs/2019%20Price%20of%20Care%20State%20Sheets/New%20York.pdf?utm_campaign=2019%20Cost%20of%20Care&utm_source=2019%20COC%20-%20NY
Because of inadequate funding, numerous counties have set their subsidy levels at less than 200% of poverty.
- The eligibility levels in Delaware and Suffolk Counties are 125% of poverty (Once in receipt of a subsidy, Suffolk allows families to retain them until they reach 200% of poverty).
- Niagara County only serves those at or below 130% of the federal poverty level.
- Although New York City has technically retained its eligibility levels at 200% of poverty, data show that few families over 135% of poverty are being served.
- Three social services districts have lowered eligibility to 150%: Clinton, Oneida, and Orange Counties.
- Livingston and Rensselaer Counties have lowered eligibility to 160% of poverty.
- In Albany, Ontario, Saratoga and Schenectady Counties eligibility is at 175% of poverty.[1]
61% of New Yorkers live in a child care desert. Even for families who can cover child care costs, many cannot find quality care in their communities. New Yorkers are more likely to live in a child care desert (defined as a community with no child care, or so few providers that there are more than three children for ever licensed child care slot) than in 20 of the 22 states studied. See Center for America Report “Mapping America’s Child Care Deserts”, August, 2017
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/early-childhood/reports/2017/08/30/437988/mapping-americas-child-care-deserts/
Many of the pre-school and child care educators caring for New York’s youngest are paid wages that leave them living at or near poverty. In New York, 59% of the families of people who care for young children participate in public income support programs at a cost of $192.1 million. See New York's Early Childhood Workforce Index 2016 from the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (SCCE). A recent New York Times article reports that many preschool teachers across the nation “live on the edge of financial ruin.” See New York Times Magazine article, “Why Are Our Most Important Teachers Paid the Least? Would improving their training — and their pay — improve outcomes for their students?” (January 9, 2018).
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/09/magazine/why-are-our-most-important-teachers-paid-the-least.html
The shortage of quality, affordable child care hurts New York’s businesses and its economy. The lack of access to affordable, quality child care causes businesses to suffer decreased productivity as a result of employee absenteeism and higher rates of turnover. Companies in the United States lose over $3 billion annually as a consequence of child care related issues, predominately absences due to a lack of accessible child care. Elswick, J. (2003, Jun. 15). More Employers Offer Back-Up Care. Employee Benefit News. http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-23549740_ITM
The business case for investing in child care is so compelling, the US Chamber of Commerce Foundation recently called upon business leaders to champion investment. Stevens, K.B. (2017, Jun.). Workforce of Today, Workforce of Tomorrow: The Business Case for High-Quality Childcare. U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Center for Education and Workforce.
https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/sites/default/files/Workforce%20of%20Today%20Workforce%20of%20Tomorrow%20Report_0.pdf
Child care as an industry can be an economic driver. In New York, industry revenue combined with spillover effects (additional spending in the community) has a $6.8 billion impact on the economy. See Committee for Economic Development, “Child Care in State Economies.” (2015) Yet, providers – many of them small, women-run businesses struggle to keep their doors open because subsidy reimbursement levels have remained flat since 2015 while operating costs have soared, including the increasing minimum wage. The minimum wage in NYS as of January 1, 2018 is:
NYS Minimum Wage – December 31, 2018
NYC - Large Employers (of 11 or more) $15/hr
NYC - Small Employers (10 or less) $13.50/hr
Long Island & Westchester - $12/hr
Rest of State: $11.10
We look forward to working in partnership with our community and legislative allies, including Assembly member Jaffee, chair of the Assembly Committee on Children, to secure an increase of state investment in child care totaling at least $100 million.
[1] Thank you to Susan Antos of Empire Justice Center for gathering this information from counties. Please note, eligibility changes frequently; this is up to date as of October 31, 2018. This does not reflect counties that are technically at 200% but have closed intake.