2013 Westchester Child Care Report Card Challenge

1. 2013 Westchester Child Care Report Card Challenge

2. Welcome – Council Board of Directors Investing in Our Children’s Future

3. Today’s Program Landscape of Westchester Child Care • U.S. and NYS trends • Westchester child care sector • Parent child care survey • Report card grades • Supply • Cost • Quality • Q and A • CCCW Public Policy Agenda Westchester Child Care Report Card

4. The competition for good jobs and business is global.

5. The jobs race doesn’t start here

6. It doesn’t even start here

7. The jobs race starts here.

8. Shift in thinking about early learning at national and state levels • Early Learning Plan • New CCDF regs • NYS UPK$ • ELCG application

9. Our Child Care Sector - Supply • 757 vs. 761 prior year • Slots up 1% to 32,193 - up 14% in 5 yrs • Centers are 56% of all slots • Half as many family providers as a decade ago – 343 to 179 • Group family has doubled to 264 • School age at lowest in decade at 109

10. Our Child Care Sector - Supply Little change in available slots for different age groups over past 5 yrs – • Infant at 8% • Toddler at 12% • Preschool at 38% • School age at 42%

11. Our Child Care Sector - Affordability Costs up since 2007 but 2013 < 2012 • Centers • Infant $16,328;Toddler $14,872 and Preschool $13,260 • Family/Group Providers • Infant $13,884;Toddler $12,948 and Preschool $12,532 • School Age $5,096

12. Our Child Care Sector - Affordability • Child Care Subsidy Program • Parent share down and now back up • 33% in 2004 down to 10% in 2009 • 27% this year • No waiting list • Title XX closed in spring 2010 to new families • Westchester Child Care Scholarship ended in 2010

13. Our Child Care Sector - Affordability • Fed $ to NYS for child care subsidy down • DCAP maximum still at $5k and not user friendly • No change in tax credits for dependent care • Public funding for early learning in U.S. much less than most other countries

14. Our Child Care Sector - Quality • Nationally Accredited programs down 50% since 2005, now at 28 • Strong interest in QSNY • Contracted to recruit 38 and over 90 applied • More interest in quality improvement work • Early Literacy – 21 classrooms/12 providers • All improved quality – from 8 at “5” + to 30

15. Parent Child Care Survey • More feedback from parents • Survey questions modeled after earlier research study in 2006 • Electronic and hard copy • August – September • Our parent referral list, County government, CBO, Journal News and other media

16. Survey Respondents 731 • South (45%); North (31%); Central (24%) • 68% with 3 or 4 family members • 95% working outside the home • 2 parents 50% • Single parent 37% • 1 parent home/1 working outside 8%

17. Survey Respondents • 87% with children in some kind of care • All ages of children but only 14% had infants • 60% with preschooler and/or K to 6th grader • Household income very skewed • 42% at $39k or less • 27% at $102k or more including 7% over $200k • 8% would be income-eligible for Title XX

18. Type of Child Care Being Used • Majority using regulated – 87% • Centers 57% • School Age 21% • Family/Group Family 19% • Lots of informal care & combinations – • Relative in child’s home 16% • Relative in his/her home 15% • Nanny/babysitter 11% • M-F, 7 am to 6 pm (62%)

19. Leading Choice Factors • Proximity to home or work (28%) • Hours (11%) • Cost and Kids Look Happy (10%) • Overall quality for Pre and K-6th (10%) • Quality indicators (2% to 4%)

20. Cost of Child Care • Cost went up with family income • Big range • 18% paying $0 - $24 and 8% paying $500-$900+ • Largest group paying $100 - $200 (24%) • 40% paying $100 or less (combining cost categories) • 13% paying $300 - $500

21. Paying for Child Care • 57% had trouble paying for care in last 6 mos including higher income parents • 60% cut back on household expenses • 54% borrowed money/used credit cards • 34% modified child care to save money • 12% cut back on work hours • Income group reporting most difficulty – Title XX and just above

22. Child Care Subsidy Recipients • 48% having trouble paying for care • 26% behind on family share payments • 24% able to pay on their own regularly; 18% sometimes • 69% have borrowed money and/or used credit cards • 6% have used other options for care

23. Satisfaction with Child Care • Much higher than 2006 survey: • 90% satisfied or very satisfied • Changes in child care arrangements most common around school start/stop or change in parent’s work hours • When asked what they would change, 32% said cost of child care

24. Survey Conclusions • Location, location, location • Cost, cost, cost • Hours of care are key • Parents using all kinds of care combos • Parents are satisfied with their child care • Families at all income levels need more financial help – Title XX level in particular • Quality is not a priority in decision-making

25. Westchester Supply • 80,000 slots needed for 160,700 birth to 12 • 32,000 slots = 40% of estimated demand • R&R callers – most can find care • High vacancies in existing programs “B” • Follow up – look at location and hours

26. Westchester Affordability • Mean costs tapered off but still high • Parents struggling to pay for care even at higher incomes • Less financial assistance for lower-income • Little to no assistance for middle-income “D-” • Follow up – education and advocacy

27. Westchester Quality • Few nationally accredited programs • High parent satisfaction per survey • Increased quality improvement activity • QUALITYstarsNY participation robust and growing “B” • Follow up – Expand QI activity, advocate for QSNY, educate parents on quality

28. Council Public Policy Agenda • Economic Impact and Benefits • Changing the perception – ROI, societal benefits • Affordability • Increase and manage public investment • Quality • Promote importance of quality • Fund and fully implement QSNY

29. Q and A Jeff Samuelson and Steve Wysmuller, CCCW Public Policy Committee • Reactions? • Questions? • Ideas?

30. What will you do?

31. Thank You!