Public Policy and Advocacy Update
Government Funding
As many businesses continue to struggle finding employees, problems finding and/or paying for child care remains a key factor and the child care sector is struggling across the country, with a depleted and weary workforce.
NEW YORK STATE
Governor Kathy Hochul’s proposed budget contains more good news for child care, with income eligibility for child care assistance rising again to 85% State Median Income (SMI), or the max allowed by the federal government. The Governor has also proposed dropping the parent share from 10% to 1% of family income over the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), and streamlining the application process. A fund with $389Mil for the child care workforce is also included but falls far short of the $1Bil requested by the Empire State Child Care Campaign, as a first step toward compensation parity with the K-12 system.
Westchester County
In its 2023 budget, Westchester County once again signaled its understanding that access to safe, affordable, quality child care is essential for strong families and vibrant communities, by continuing the Westchester Works Child Care Scholarship Program in 2023. Families eligible for child care financial assistance saw their fees decreased as well, with the parent share reduced from 10% to 5% of income over the federal poverty level. Child care businesses typically run on a shoestring, and the county bolstered the financial stability of Westchester’s by supporting the workforce with increased reimbursements for professional development and holidays.
United States
The failure thus far to see the level of new federal investment in child care promised by the Build Back Better Bill remains concerning. The pandemic funding kept the child care industry from collapsing altogether, but it did not fix the gaps and fragmentation which existed before, and continue today. An increase of nearly $2Bil in the Child Care and Development Block Grant will provide further help but does not fund the transformative changes needed in our child care system.
WE NEED YOU TO BUILD THE CHILD CARE SYSTEM WE NEED!
We made the case last year for more child care investment using new data, which helped us better understand how many Westchester working parents were burdened by unaffordable child care costs. Please read the report compiled for us by consultant Grace Reef, Access to Child Care: The Key to Economic Recovery in Westchester. The report spelled out that there were 114,564 children under 13 years in Westchester whose parents work, and a whopping 45,007 or 39% of them were in families with incomes under 400% FPL - meaning that they did not earn enough to meet their basic needs, including child care. This number includes 26,483 children under age 6. It's a must read.
To view Access to Child Care: The Key to Economic Recovery in Westchester 
Click here
To remind you of where the NYS child care system needs to go, re-read the Child Care Availability Task Force Report, issued in Spring 2021. To view the Task Force Report Click here
You can also take another look at Sen. Jabari Brisport's report on his child care listening tour last year or his bill, the "Universal Child Care Act." You can view both here.
If you are not a member of the Empire State Campaign for Child Care (ESCCC), an increasingly robust and vocal group of child care advocates, parents, and early childhood professionals, etc., sign up today. The Council has been an active participant in the Campaign since its inception and we urge everyone to get involved.
To talk about available opportunities, or to sign up for our Advocacy Alerts, contact Executive Director Kathy Halas at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 1-914-761-3456 x 102.
keeping up with child care in the news
It is almost impossible to track all the research, reports and opinion pieces on child care and early learning these days. Click here to view the latest resources.
