***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***
PRESS RELEASE FOR: Thursday, December 19th 2024
CONTACT: Winthrop Roosevelt // 617-680-0158 // wroosevelt@manhattanbp.nyc.gov
FULL PLAN: https://www.manhattanbp.nyc.gov/initiatives/closing-the-0-2-gap/
New York, NY – Thursday, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine unveiled a comprehensive plan to revolutionize childcare in New York City, expanding access to affordable, high-quality care for all children from six weeks to five years old.
The plan, “Closing the 0-2 Gap: Universal Childcare in New York City,” addresses the urgent need for affordable childcare, particularly for infants and toddlers. It aims to create a more equitable and supportive system for families and providers, acknowledging childcare’s crucial role in the city’s economic health.
“Our housing shortage is not the only affordability crisis facing New Yorkers,” said Borough President Levine. “Families with children under five are also facing a childcare affordability crisis that is pricing them out of our city. This has devastating implications for our economy, communities, and social fabric. 80% of families find the cost of childcare – particularly for infants and toddlers – to be unreasonably high.”
The need for affordable childcare in New York City is urgent. Over 441,000 children under five live in the city, and many families struggle to afford quality care, with some spending a fifth of their income on care. Alarmingly, only 24% of children under five currently benefit from public childcare options.
“High-quality early childcare and education are essential for a child’s development,” Levine emphasized. “But the lack of affordable options is forcing families to make impossible choices, with many leaving the workforce or the city altogether. This disproportionately affects single-parent families, essential workers, and low- and middle-income families, leading to economic and social strain.”
This comprehensive approach addresses critical needs within the childcare system identified in the report, including:
- Universal Childcare for Infants and Toddlers: Expanding Pre-K and 3-K for All programs to include children aged six weeks to three years, providing free childcare to all families regardless of income.
- NYC Newborn Support Program: Providing direct cash assistance to qualifying families – $1,000 upfront and $500 monthly for 12 months – to help with the costs of newborn and infant care.
- Support for Childcare Providers: Increasing pay rates for providers, ensuring timely payments, and creating a loan forgiveness program for childcare workers and special education teachers.
- Department of Early Childcare, Education, and Intervention: Establishing a dedicated department to oversee and coordinate early childcare services, maximizing the use of state and federal funding.
The plan also seeks to improve access to early intervention and preschool special education services, streamline background checks for childcare workers, recruit new childcare professionals, increase support for family childcare providers, expand Promise NYC, and enhance support for daycare centers located in NYCHA complexes.
The plan follows exceptional advocacy and research by groups including New Yorkers United for Childcare, Advocates for Children of New York, All our Kin, Citizens Committee for Children of New York, The Chinese American Planning Council, the Committee for Hispanic Children and Families, 5Boro Institute, the Day Care Council of New York, WhedCo, the Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy, the Bridge Project, ECE on the Move, United Neighborhood Houses, YMCA of New York, Caring Across Generations, and many more. Their work has charted a path forward in achieving a fairer, more universal, and effective early childcare system.
“This is not just about expanding access to childcare. It’s about investing in our children, our families, and our city’s economy,” added Borough President Levine. “By creating a truly universal childcare system, we can ensure that every child in New York City has the opportunity to thrive, while boosting our economy and creating a more equitable city for all.”
To read the BP’s comprehensive report, please visit here.
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