A recent report from New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli examines child care services in New York City for children under five, focusing on program demand and effectiveness. The analysis identifies opportunities to use existing data to improve cost efficiency and target expansion where it is most needed.
“The rising cost of child care, especially for children under five, is a major affordability issue facing New Yorkers, forcing many parents to choose between working and taking care of their children,” DiNapoli said. “Governor Hochul’s recently unveiled child care expansion proposal, supported by Mayor Mamdani, is laudable and aims to provide services to tens of thousands of additional children across the state in the next two years and grow over time. Mayor Mamdani has made universal child care a priority for his administration. My office has found that existing programs in New York City are fragmented and data on outcomes and cost can be better utilized so expansion efforts are done in a cost-efficient manner and are directed to those most in need.”
The report notes that initial funding for expanding 3-K programs and child care vouchers came largely from temporary federal sources. As these funds have been gradually absorbed by the city—and to a lesser extent by the state—officials will need to find new or redirected resources for future growth, particularly since caring for infants and toddlers incurs higher costs.
According to DiNapoli’s findings, expanding child care could require between $2.7 billion and $8.2 billion based on current costs and usage rates, not including extra expenses for services provided to children with disabilities. This range reflects differences in service types offered, provider categories, hours of operation, days covered, and seat availability.
The report recommends streamlining administrative processes across programs, improving public outreach efforts, lowering per-participant costs through standardization of services, and reducing unfilled seats. It highlights inconsistencies in information available to applicants as well as challenges comparing cost-effectiveness due to program fragmentation.
Success would depend on better data collection about both recipients of child care services and providers—including those connected with the Department of Education—a simplified application process, regular updates of public-facing websites, and clearer measurement of intended outcomes.
Additionally, phased implementation is suggested as a way to address operational issues such as training needs, staffing shortages, expanding physical capacity in areas lacking sufficient options (“child care deserts”), making application processes more responsive, and reducing mismatches between supply and demand that lead to unused seats or higher expenses.
A summary included in the report details numbers of children under five—and specifically two-year-olds—by neighborhood throughout New York City.
Related reports cited include reviews on ongoing challenges within the sector as well as tools used by city agencies for monitoring health-related services.