It's time to address New York's child care crisis

The looming closure of the only child care center in Montauk hamlet is unfortunately an all-too-common occurrence across the state. Some 64% of New Yorkers live in what’s referred to as “child care deserts,” where for every available child care slot, there are between three and nine children in need of care, according to the Center for American Progress.

Parents find themselves traveling great distances, altering their work schedules, or even dropping out of the workforce because of the lack of accessible, affordable child care where they live. Given the statewide nature of this problem, Gov. Kathy Hochul and the State Legislature must step up to address it, and they must do it now, given the looming expiration of federal pandemic funds that have been a lifeline for the sector.

Child care providers are struggling to keep their doors open. Their operating costs are high — caring for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers requires low staffing ratios, which means higher payroll costs for providers and possible classroom closures if staffing does not meet regulations put in place to keep children safe, and it can be expensive to keep programs and buildings within health and safety guidelines — and the margins of operation are razor-thin.

It is not a particularly profitable business; a child care educator in New York State earns an average income of $35,000, earning less than 96% of occupations, according to a Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy computation of state Department of Labor data. Child care educators are disproportionately women of color, and they are paid far less than they deserve for educating and caring for our youngest New Yorkers.

At the same time, child care is one of the largest costs families face in New York State. A year of child care for an infant can be as costly as a year of college at a SUNY school. For parents with an infant and preschool-aged child in full-time child care, a year of care can cost upward of $35,000. This is unsustainable for working families.

New York State must address this crisis that is impacting both working families and providers. The state has greatly expanded eligibility for child care assistance, known as subsidies, over the past two years, providing economic relief for thousands of New York’s families. However, the same investment has not been made in the child care workforce, leaving an even greater imbalance between supply and demand.

A permanent investment in the workforce is needed, rather than one-year retention grants and small bonuses. The Empire State Campaign for Child Care — a statewide coalition of early childhood educators, parents, and advocates — is calling on the governor and the legislature to invest $1.2 billion in this year’s budget to create a permanent workforce compensation fund. This investment will make it easier to recruit and retain child care educators, allowing more child care centers to remain open and serve the families who rely on them.

The governor has put forth the goal of creating a universal child care system in New York, which the Empire State Campaign for Child Care fully supports. Treating this necessity as a public good, rather than the private burden that it currently is for New York’s working families, is crucial for the stability of New Yorkers. Investing in New York’s child care workforce is a necessary building block toward that goal.

The time to make this investment is now, before more New Yorkers find themselves in the same position as Montauk’s families.

 THIS GUEST ESSAY reflects the views of Shoshana Hershkowitz, campaign manager for the Empire State Campaign for Child Care.