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Child Care

The Problem

No working family should have to choose between doing what’s best for their job or what’s best for their child. But a lack of high-quality child care options often force hundreds of thousands of families to make that choice every day.  The cost of child care in our state is out of reach for most working families, often their largest monthly bill, and equal to what many pay for a mortgage.

Only 20% of families that earn less than $42,000 a year, receive financial assistance to help pay for child care. This is a staggering amount, impacting more than half a million children in our state.

Lastly, many of the pre-school and child care educators caring for New York’s youngest are paid wages that leave them living at or near poverty.  In New York, 65% of the families of people who care for young children participate in public income support programs at a cost of more than $192.1 million.  New York’s child care crisis is growing increasingly severe.

The Facts - By The Numbers

Child Care Gap

Supply Does NOT Meet Demand

There is a supply gap of over 32,000 slots.
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What Unmet Demand Looks Like

What Unmet Need Looks Like

Rising Child Poverty vs. Falling Child Care
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Imact of High Quality Child Care

Impact of High Quality Child Care

So many indicators improve when high-quality child care is in place.
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Finger Lakes Pic

The Wage Gap Could Be Narrowed

High-quality child care allows more people the freedom to go to work.
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Strategies That Can Make A Difference

  1. Develop Tailored Strategies that:
    • Identify community needs
    • Leverage & maximize existing funding streams
    • Recognize Child Care’s role in business development
    • Incorporate workforce development techniques
  2. Consider the implications for businesses in the quest to recruit and retain a skilled and reliable workforce and the needs of families to have access to affordable, high-quality child care
  3. Work with child care professionals and the Child Care Task Force to include child care in NYS Consolidated Funding Applications

Read Our Related Reports

Child Care Report

Declining Child Care Options for Young Children – Full Report

January 9, 2020

Child care across the state and nation suffers from an extraordinary lack of public resources. Greater investments from local, state, and federal partners are needed to stabilize our community’s child care system, allow child care workers to earn a living wage, and ensure children receive the care and support they need to thrive. The purpose of this report is to inform leaders in Rochester, Monroe County, and New York State about the growing shortage of regulated care for young children, and to identify policies that can strengthen this crucial support for families.

Click to Read More and/or Download»
Child Care Report Executive Summary Cover

Declining Child Care Options for Young Children – Executive Summary

January 9, 2020

Child care across the state and nation suffers from an extraordinary lack of public resources. Greater investments from local, state, and federal partners are needed to stabilize our community’s child care system, allow child care workers to earn a living wage, and ensure children receive the care and support they need to thrive. The purpose of this report is to inform leaders in Rochester, Monroe County, and New York State about the growing shortage of regulated care for young children, and to identify policies that can strengthen this crucial support for families.

Click to Read More and/or Download»

2020 Analysis of Monroe County Budget – Full Report

December 5, 2019

The Children’s Agenda offers this review of the proposed 2020 County budget and its impact on children and youth with two audiences in mind: County legislators who will vote on its proposals, and the new County administration who will have the opportunity to make changes in County policy and funding beyond 2020.

In this report, we provide priority recommendations for Monroe County’s 2020 Proposed Budget and for the County as it enters a new decade. We hope this review will move us toward our community’s shared goal of making Monroe County the best place in the state of New York to raise a family.

Click to Read More and/or Download»

“For American business, advancing high-quality childcare is a winning proposition. It’s a wise investment in America’s future – strengthening business today while building the workforce we’ll depend on tomorrow and for decades to come.”

U.S. Chamber of Commerce

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The Children’s Agenda
1 South Washington St.
Suite 120
Rochester, NY 14614

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(585) 256-2620
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Our Mission

The Children’s Agenda advocates for effective policies and drives evidenced-based solutions for the health, education and success of children. We are especially committed to children who are vulnerable because of poverty, racism, health disparities and trauma.

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