Syracuse, N.Y. (NCC News) – Childcare providers will receive $2.4 billion to help with staffing and other purposes during the pandemic.
The state budget prioritizes boosting childcare workers wages and helping families across New York pay for better care for their children. New York State Senator Rachel May says it’s time to prioritize children as a whole.
“We’re looking at the whole child,” May said. “Children have been neglected.”
$1.26 billion of the budget is set to go to childcare providers to help with wages and to help the centers stay open. According to Syracuse.com, 47 of 102 licensed child-care centers in Onondaga and Cayuga shut down.
The remaining $1.14 billion will be utilized as subsidies for low-income families. The money will aim to help them afford better care. According to Syracuse.com, in 2015, the average annual bill for sending an infant to daycare was $14,144 a year. Many child-care workers are paid minimum wage, $12.50 an hour.
Syracuse-based company Childcare Solutions has worked throughout the pandemic connecting parents with the right day care center. Childcare Solutions Executive Director Lori Schakow says she’s excited the new budget acknowledges the centers and their workers.
“The good news is the language in the budget really provides stronger oversight and hopefully makes it much easier to get these grants out the door than it was to get the past years grants out.” Schakow said.
Schakow says the strides made by the state are a good start. However, Schakow beleives that real change will stem from a continued investment in childcare workers.
“Where I think the gaps still exist is that, although we recognize child care providers as essential infrastructure, we still don’t pay them living wages.”
