Raising NY Plan to Safely Reopen Child Care in Support of New York’s Recovery

Raising NY Plan to Safely Reopen Child Care in Support of New York’s Recovery

On Monday, May 18th, 2020, the Raising NY Coalition released a plan to offer affordable, safe, high-quality child care during this ongoing public health crisis, and to begin rebuilding the child care system to make it stronger and more equitable than before the pandemic. New York cannot reopen without essential supports for our children and families—including child care.

The Raising NY coalition is a diverse statewide coalition of parent, early childhood, education, civil rights, business, and health organizations dedicated to increasing the number of children who are on track for school readiness and is co-chaired by Schuyler Center President and CEO Kate Breslin.

Parents of infants and toddlers across New York State are experiencing intense financial insecurity during the coronavirus pandemic, with the crisis exacerbating pre-existing inequities among communities of color and families from low-income backgrounds. At the same time, more than a quarter of child care providers are closed due to the pandemic, and without significant financial support, many may not be able to reopen.

The federal emergency relief and stimulus bill known as the CARES Act provided New York State with significant funding to address critical child care needs. The plan recommends how those and other available funds can be most effectively invested to meet the immediate, emergency needs of families and providers, and to begin to implement longer-term reforms to expand access to quality child care to more infants and toddlers.

For more information: Raising New York Plan[/vc_column_text]

Learn More About Raising New York

Learn More About Raising New York

August marks the launch of Raising New York, a diverse statewide coalition of parent, early childhood, education, civil rights, business, and health organizations dedicated to increasing the number of children who are on track for school readiness, with a focus on improving long-term outcomes for children who are low-income, children of color, and other under-served groups.

Schuyler Center serves on the Steering Committee, with our President and CEO, Kate Breslin, as co-chair.

Raising NY prioritizes access to health and developmental care; access to high quality affordable child care; helping families to become financially secure; and building a system that works together for families.

The coalition commissioned a poll of likely 2020 voters in New York State. Polling data shows strong public support for investing in early childhood programs and services and a majority of those polled strong support the State doing more for infants and toddlers. Eighty five percent of likely voters say they support New York investing more to expand access to high-quality affordable child care.

“The evidence is clear: the first several years of a child’s life represent a time of immense opportunity – and threat,” Breslin said. “During this brief period, a child’s brain and body develop at a breakneck pace, making young children uniquely vulnerable to the negative impacts of poverty, poor nutrition, housing instability, and trauma. At the same time, investments in proven approaches, like tax credits for families, high quality child care, health care, home visiting, and early intervention, can transform a child’s life. We are thrilled to be working with Raising NY’s broad coalition to ensure that investing in our youngest children becomes one of New York’s top priorities.”

Several news outlets covered Raising NY’s launch, including Politico, Albany Times Union, and Capitol Pressroom. To listen to the Capitol Pressroom interview, click play on the box below.