Mayer Organizes Discussions On Affordable Child Care

In an ongoing effort to address the child care crisis in New York State, Assemblymember Ellen Jaffee, chairwoman of the Assembly Committee on Children and Families; and Assemblymember Shelley Mayer, chairwoman of the Assembly Task Force on Women's Issues, co-organized two roundtable discussions ? one in New York City and another in Albany ? to investigate child care quality, affordability and accessibility, as well as the impact of child care access on family stability, the labor force, and the economy.

The roundtable discussions Sept. 25 and 27 followed a May 23 joint public hearing in Albany, held by Jaffee and State Sen. Tony Avella, chairman of the Senate Committee on Children and Families, to discuss child care issues ? in particular the lack of funding, accessibility and quality.

Two-thirds of all families in New York State are headed by parents in the workforce and most work full-time by the time their children are age 3. Although research suggests that safe, reliable, high-quality child care promotes positive child development and is critical to a family's ability to maintain employment and remain self-sufficient, many working families across the state are unable to secure such care.

"Reliable, quality, affordable child care is one of the most pressing issues facing New York families today," said Mayer. "As the chair of the Assembly Task Force on Women's Issues, I have fought and will continue to fight to expand access, improve quality, expand caregivers' access to professional development, and help providers maintain a quality workforce in the face of low wages.

"There is more we can and must do to learn about the challenges and successes our local child care providers, parents and advocates are facing," she continued. We must use their knowledge and experiences to inform our work. As we move toward the start of the legislative session, I look forward to working with my colleagues to secure increased funding and develop creative paths to increase access to professional development."

The response from advocates and stakeholders to both the public hearing and the recent roundtables underscores the critical importance of maintaining an ongoing dialogue in communities throughout the state.

Mayer will be holding a roundtable discussion Thursday, Oct. 26 from 4 to 6 p.m. at Riverfront Library in Yonkers.