About 85% of the human brain is developed within the first three years of life. Access to an early-learning environment sets up a child to reach their full potential – and a lack of it can disadvantage a child for life. In New York, only one third of children under the age of six have childcare, and less than 20% of low-income families who are eligible for childcare subsidies are receiving them.  

Childcare often costs as much as college. Here in Tompkins and Cortland counties, families are struggling to find and pay for childcare and often must make painful choices. Families are forced to ask, “Can I pay for quality care, or do I settle for what I can afford? Can I even afford to work?” Federal and state subsidies for low income families are insufficient. For median-income families not eligible for subsidies, childcare costs an average of 24% of their household income. Infant care costs an average of $15,000 per year.  

This issue is not only one of cost, but of availability. We have a critical shortage of all types of childcare, but especially affordable care. Childcare educators in New York earn a staggeringly low wage, leading to high rates of poverty for providers and a shrinking childcare workforce. As a Tompkins County Legislator, I spearheaded the “Planner/Developer” initiative to develop and fund the program for the Child Development Council of Central New York (CDCCNY), serving Tompkins and Cortland Counties, which provided grants for family childcare providers of up to $500.

These local initiatives have been a step in the right direction, but we must do more as a State to ensure that all children have access to healthy, engaging, and safe care in the critical early stages of their development.

• Increase investment in early childcare programs

• Support the huge need for increased staffing and better wages for childcare workers in existing centers, as well as in home-based programs

• Continue to invest in new and expanded childcare centers and home-based programs

Quality childcare is a generational investment in our current and future workforce, our economy, and our quality of life. It increases educational attainment, enhances consistent participation in the workforce, bolsters social and economic productivity, and decreases generational poverty.