NEW YORK: Last week, as the child care community faced escalating federal attacks across the country, New York stood out as a beacon of what’s possible when our elected leaders respond to the real needs of families, providers, and communities. The Child Care for Every Family Network has released the following statement regarding this historic victory in the fight for universal child care:

Since 2017, our partners at the Empire State Campaign for Child Care have organized alongside New York families, early childhood educators, and advocates to build a clear path toward universal child care — and they have never wavered in that fight. For nearly a decade, they have pushed for bold investments in the Child Care Assistance Program to ensure access for the most vulnerable families, developed transformative community-based care models, and fought for fair compensation for the child care workforce who are the backbone of the child care system.

Last week’s historic announcement from Governor Hochul and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani represents a tremendous leap forward in that vision. With $1.7 billion in new child care investments and the launch of community-based care pilots — including free child care for 2-year-olds in New York City and strengthened universal early childhood programs statewide — this initiative will help ensure that nearly 100,000 more children can access high-quality care and reflects the proactive, transformative change our New York partners and our broader national movement have long fought for.

Additional statements on this victory:

• Empire State Campaign for Child Care: Statement from the Empire State Campaign for Child Care on Governor Hochul and Mayor Mamdani’s Historic Child Care Announcement
• Governor Hochul: Governor Hochul Announces Investments to Deliver Universal Child Care for New York Children Under Five
• Mayor Mamdani: Mayor Mamdani & Governor Hochul to Launch Free Child Care for Two-Year-Olds in NYC

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The Child Care for Every Family Network is the national movement and campaign to transform child care, representing 2,000+ child care providers and early educators, impacted families, state and national organizations, and organizers across the country. Learn more: childcareforeveryfamily.org.