Empire State Campaign for Child Care

Seeing the need, more cities and states are stepping up to help provide child care New York City isn't the only place pushing to expand free child care. We check in on this growing trend, and how states and cities are paying for it.

ESCCC parent leader and steering committee member Mansie recently spoke with NPR about the struggle to access child care for her infant. We're not giving up until parents across the state can access the child care they need.
www.npr.org/2026/03/10/n...

NY is poised to make universal child care a reality for families. We can’t get there without paying the child care workforce a thriving wage. We need @governor.ny.gov, @leaderasc.bsky.social, and @speakercarlheastie.bsky.social to fund workforce compensation for early childhood educators.

It’s March. Do You Know Where Your Children Are Going to Camp?

Families need affordable care all year long, including summers. That's why we advocate for a universal system that covers children through age 12, year round.
www.nytimes.com/2026/03/01/n...

Lawmakers call on Hochul to close Erie County child care funding gap The group sent a letter to the governor's office saying Erie County is facing a $23.1 million deficit in the Child Care Assistance Program.

Erie County is one of more than 30 counties struggling with funding for the Child Care Assistance Program. The Governor and Legislature must deliver for the tens of thousands of families across NY in need.
spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/buffalo/...

AQE at De Corazon Family Day Care YouTube video by AQENY1

ESCCC campaign leaders @aqeny.bsky.social share the story of early childhood educator Sheila and the families she serves. New Yorkers deserve a child care system that works for all of us.
youtu.be/jlYVxaX5z8Q

There is no path to universal child care in New York State without paying early childhood educators the wages they deserve.

ESCCC leaders had a great time at Caucus Weekend presenting our vision for achieving universal child care with @jabaribrisport.bsky.social . Grateful to our partners at AQE, @childrensagenda.bsky.social, ECEONTHEMOVE, WNYCCAT, and DCCNYINC for their contributions!

AOC and Warren join forces in high-profile child care push ahead of midterms As Republicans urge Americans to have more children but offer few supportive policies, Democrats believe reducing child care costs could be a winning message.

Child care is a crucial issue for families across the country. Excited to see @ocasio-cortez.house.gov and @warren.senate.gov advocating for the child care we deserve!
19thnews.org/2026/02/aoc-...

Editorial: New York made child care promises it is failing to keep The state greatly expanded the eligibility for child care subsidies, yet didn't provide the money needed to keep up with increased demand.

Thank you to the @timesunion.com editorial board for uplifting the struggles that families and early childhood educators are facing, and the need for state government to address this crisis.
www.timesunion.com/opinion/arti...

We're proud to partner with Senator Jabari Brisport this weekend at the Black Puerto Rican Hispanic Asian Legislative Caucus Weekend to talk about our plan for how to achieve universal child care for New York State!

Episode 16: The Child Care For All Plan Podcast Episode · The Empire State Campaign for Child Care Podcast · 02/03/2026 · 9m

Check out our latest podcast episode "The Child Care For All Plan" about ESCCC's road map to achieve universal child care with campaign leaders Pete and Shelby!
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...

Commentary: Expanding child care access won't work unless we add more child care teachers Without an investment in early childhood education teachers, expanded child care access will strain an already-fragile system.

"Without investing in early childhood education teachers, expanded child care access will strain an already-fragile system...Teachers are the heart and soul of child care...Yet our current system fails to value them accordingly."
www.timesunion.com/opinion/arti...

Universal child care may be coming to NYC, but 16,000 kids are stuck waiting for aid Families say they’re cutting down their work hours or scraping money together to afford child care without the subsidies.

Thousands of children and families are on the waiting list for child care assistance. ESCCC campaign leaders Pete, Danielle, and Lauren spoke to Gothamist about this urgent issue that needs the city and state's attention.
gothamist.com/news/univers...

Report: Child care workers make less than retail salesclerks Advocates and providers say the salary for child care workers is less than a livable wage.

“We’re going to need to grow the child care workforce, and to recruit and retain the child care workforce for the long haul, we’re going to need to raise wages,” said Shoshana Hershkowitz, campaign manager for the Empire State Campaign for Child Care.
spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-...

Key lawmakers want workforce funding in child care plan Workforce funding has been a long-term issue for which advocates have sought a permanent solution well before the Mamdani era.

Grateful to our partners in the state legislature who are speaking up to advocate for compensation for the child care workforce as an essential component for realizing the vision of universal child care in New York State!
nystateofpolitics.com/state-of-pol...

Read more: scaany.org/child-care-a...

Thank you to everyone who joined us in Albany on Tuesday! Despite the winter storm, over 400 of us from all over the state called on our leaders to deliver a child care system that works for every family and pays early childhood educators the thriving wages they deserve.

A snowstorm couldn't stop our coalition from showing up to call for a universal child care system that meets the needs of every family and pays early childhood educators the thriving wages they deserve!

2025 Empire State Campaign for Child Care Advocacy Day YouTube video by EMPIRE STATE CAMPAIGN FOR CHILD CARE

We're gearing up for Advocacy Day 2026 this Tuesday in Albany! Check out last year's event, with an appearance from then Assemblymember and now @mayor.nyc.gov!
youtu.be/XeZGWyipPHA?...

Our campaign leaders have been busy today! Campaign manager Shoshana spoke on a panel with VoteRunLead
this morning and Steering Committee member and ECEONTHEMOVE leader Doris joined New York Focus for their child care panel!

Build universal child care as Mamdani vowed to do Luisa wakes up before the sun rises in the Bronx. She’s checking the day’s schedule: an infant arriving at 6 a.m., a toddler who will stay until 7:30 p.m., a preschooler whose mother picks him up a…

Powerful op ed from ESCCC Steering Committee member Gladys Jones in NY Daily News. Gladys is the co-founder of ECEONTHEMOVE.
www.nydailynews.com/2026/01/17/b...

ESCCC Steering Committee leader Janna has a great op ed in the LI Herald! Check it out.
t.co/qxqm3ZNkfC

On this #MLKDay, let us remember that every child deserves to be safe and cared for. Let us also remember that we are all deserving of the dignity of a living wage and the conditions to thrive.

Watching the #StateOfTheState, and excited to see child care front and center in @governor.ny.gov 's affordability agenda! Let's get universal child care done, New York!

What Hochul and Mamdani's childcare vision would look like in Northern NY Expanded access to the Pre-K and more funding for child care subsidies would have the biggest impact.

Empire State Campaign for Child Care leaders Dede Hill and Shoshana Hershkowitz spoke with North Country Public Radio's Amy Feiereisel about Governor Hochul's proposal to expand child care in New York State.
www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/story/5...

Child care takes center stage in Albany amid talk of freeze As the legislative session kicks off and all focus in Albany turns to the state budget, discussions around funding streams for child care will become unavoidable.

ESCCC Campaign Leader Dede Hill speaking on the threats the federal freeze on child care funds to NY pose to our state's children and families.
spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-...

We're thrilled to be here to share in the good news that child care will be more accessible to so many more families in New York State. We are especially pleased about the expanded funding for the Child Care Assistance Program, which so many families rely on. Let's get this done!

Trump administration freezes NYS child care, social services funding over fraud claims New York Democratic officials criticized the news, and child care providers feared the move could have devastating consequences for families and children.

ESCCC leader Alicia discusses the harmful impact of these cuts on the families her center serves in this article in today's @newsday.bsky.social.
The state must fill the gaps created by the federal government and ensure care for low income families and providers.
www.newsday.com/long-island/...