News
April 24, 2020Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies and Cuomo Administration Partner on Child Care Scholarships for Essential Workers and Supplies for Child Care Providers
Early Care & Learning Council and our network of 35 Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agencies applaud the action of the Office of Children and Family Services and the Cuomo Administration in developing a plan to provide child care to essential workers at no cost. This allocation of funding for child care for essential workers comes to the state from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”), which has provided New York with $163.6 million in emergency relief to the child care system.
New York State is using a portion of this funding to provide free child care for income eligible essential workers. Essential workers using a regulated child care provider will receive a scholarship for the cost of care as long as the funds to support it are available. All licensed and regulated providers who are caring for essential workers are able to participate in this new program.
Access to affordable and safe child care is a barrier for working parents during the best of times, and even more so during a crisis. New York State’s plan will ensure that the workforce that is needed to protect and care for the public during this pandemic have the child care that allows them to continue to serve us all.
The CARES funding will also be used to purchase supplies for child care providers statewide who remain open, including masks, gloves, diapers, baby wipes, baby formula and food. CCR&Rs will receive grants totaling approximately $600 per provider. Providers looking for supplies should contact their local CCR&R.
CCR&Rs are the child care experts and the conduit to accessing child care in New York State. CCR&Rs serve all 62 counties in the New York State and are working closely with state government to ensure that the demand for child care is being met safely.
If you meet the definition of an essential employee and have child care needs, register here. If you are a child care provider that has openings for essential workers, please fill in your information here. If you have additional questions, please contact your local CCR&R agency. https://earlycareandlearning.org/our-members/
