Our Campaign is Fighting for Universal Child Care.
Universal child care is free child care for all. It means that every child and family, regardless of income, immigration status, or zip code, can access high-quality, free child care that meets their care needs. It means that every child care educator makes a thriving wage that reflects the true cost of care. It means that child care is treated as a public good, rather than a private family burden.
Principles
All children are universally covered.
All children and families are covered, no exceptions. Families are not subject to activities or work tests, immigration or minimum earnings requirements.
Funding for child care is ample, predictable, consistent, and sustained long term.
Child care is a public good, rather than a private burden, and is fully and continually funded by government resources.
The system supports and properly funds, at true cost of care, a choice of modalities: center- based, family child care, or family, friend and neighbor care (legally exempt).
Different families have different care needs, so child care cannot be a one size fits all model. In a universal child care system, all modalities of care are fully funded, and families can choose which modality works best for them.
The system promotes respect and just compensation for the child care workforce.
Child care educators earn less than 96% of the state’s workforce, despite doing the essential work of educating and caring for our youngest New Yorkers. In a universal child care system, the child care workforce receives a thriving wage that adequately compensates the care they provide.
Child care is available and accessible in all communities.
The majority of New Yorkers live in what are known as “child care deserts”, where multiple families are waiting for child care to be available where they live. In a universal child care system, care in all modalities is available for every child, in every community.
All children have access to quality care.
Regardless of race, gender, family income, region, or immigration status, a child’s age or ability, children and families across New York State have access to care that fits their needs.
System evaluation and reform is continuous and centered in quality and equity.
A thriving universal child care system must be continually evaluated to determine which measures are serving the needs of children and families, and which require improvement. The evaluation and reform must meet the needs of all children, families, and child care educators across the state.
Building Blocks
For universal child care to be a reality in New York State, there are several building blocks needed:
A permanent and robust funding stream dedicated to workforce compensation is essential to ensure that quality child care is available to all New York children.
This funding stream ensures that every child care educator is paid a thriving wage for the work they do, which creates a robust care sector with capacity to serve all the families that need care.
Recognizing that child care is not a “one size fits all” model, as each family may require different hours and modalities of care.
Care needs will vary depending on the family’s needs, as well as the region they are located in. For child care to be truly universal, all modalities of care must be recognized and respected.
Child care must be truly universal - that means includings every child and family in New York State, regardless of immigration status.
Every child deserves a quality education, and early childhood education is a part of that continuum.
Commitment to Equity
The Empire State Campaign for Child Care is committed to the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion in our work. We recognize that care work in our state is most often performed by women, and especially women of color, who are inadequately compensated and respected for their labor. A great deal of our work is centered on correcting this injustice.
ESCCC works to uplift and center the voices of child care educators and the families they serve, both in the legislative policies we advocate for, as well as in the daily processes of our campaign work. We strive to elevate directly impacted voices in our campaign structure and leadership, so that their lived experiences guide all that we do.
We are incredibly proud of the work our Human Rights, Equity, Anti-Racism, and Diversity (HEARD) committee does to keep our organization aligned and accountable to the principles of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Acceptance, and Belonging.