The Case for Universal Child Care in New York City
Child care is an essential service that many New York City families simply can’t afford or access. It’s the largest monthly expense for countless households just after paying rent, collectively costing New Yorkers $14 billion annually. This has resulted in 1 in 4 children in New York City living in poverty. The impact of insufficient child care options delays valuable education, limits career opportunities for parents, and fuels inequality with families in outer boroughs left without needed support.
We’ve seen the positive impact that child care has on the children and families in our programs.
Last year we served over 894 children and their families in our high-quality child care programs. These vital programs lay the foundation for a life of learning, provide workforce development opportunities for parents trying to make a better life for their children, and include wrap-around services to help the entire family thrive.
Soon, through our federally funded Head Start expansion, we’ll be serving over 1,400 children throughout the Lower East Side, Brooklyn, and for the first time in our history, the Bronx. New Yorkers deserve access to programs just like ours.
Grand Street, in partnership with organizations like Day Care Council of New York and New Yorkers United for Child Care, is fighting for expanded access to child care for all children until the age of 5. This means full-day care for working parents, child care centers that are available in all neighborhoods, and programs provided at no cost to families.
These investments ensure that families won’t have to jump through hoops to apply, parents can return to work knowing their children are safe and cared for, and most of all that the next generation of New Yorkers will receive education that expands opportunities for their future. Universal child care is not only a lifeline for working families but also an economic and social imperative.
