Assure Affordable Quality Child Care for all New Yorkers
The lack of access to affordable, quality child care is a major barrier to individuals who want to leave welfare for employment. The availability of quality child care significantly increases the ability of parents to enter and remain in the workforce, and to complete an education.
The wages, education and experience of child care workers directly affect the quality of child care. Nationally, the average child care provider earns less than $11,000 a year, or an average of $6.12 per hour. The rate of turnover among child care workers is about 40%.
Young children of low-income working parents have a particularly strong need for quality child care and early education because of the many disadvantages they face growing up in poverty. Research has repeatedly shown that quality programs can help low-income children get ahead in school and increase their likelihood of success.
Participation in good quality care results in enhanced learning of language, math and social skills, lower school drop out rates and, eventually, higher incomes.
Hunger Action Network Recommendations:
Guarantee child care, free of charge, for all families with incomes below 200% of the federal poverty level. Expanded eligibility must not come at the expense of those groups currently eligible for child care assistance.
Expand eligibility for the Transitional Child Care program from one year to two years for welfare participants who find employment.
Increase the supply of safe, reliable child care, by investing in start-up funds for new after-school and family day-care programs and by investing capital funds for new childcare spaces.
Strengthen the quality of care by increasing investment in child care resource and referral agencies, and measures to ensure that there is a well-trained, appropriately compensated childcare workforce.
Invest a minimum of 3% of combined NYS child care funding across all departments to support a range of professional development initiatives (such as the statewide career development system, scholarship programs, and loan forgiveness.
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Page Created February 1, 2000.
Page Last Updated February 1, 2000.