Child Care, Affordability, Accessibility, and the Costs of Disruption

Child care is a vital resource for parents of young children and high-quality child care improves educational and poverty outcomes in the long run. However, the Early Childhood Poverty Tracker data reveal the numerous challenges New Yorkers faced in finding affordable, quality care for their young children. Even before the COVID-19 crisis disruptions to child care were common and child care was unaffordable for half of New Yorkers. The pandemic has made it even harder for families to find child care that meets their needs and their budgets. As these challenges have only intensified and the child care industry struggles to recover, New York City will need to build a better and accessible care infrastructure so parents can return to work knowing their children are safe.

The Poverty Tracker is a joint project of Robin Hood and Columbia University to study the dynamics of poverty and disadvantage in New York City. The Early Childhood Poverty Tracker is a survey of more than 1,500 New York City households with young children ages 0-3.