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COMMUNITY OP-ED AUGUST 08, 2025 | The Indian Eye 10

Delivering Universal After-School

Care for Working Families

For too long, too many families have been denied access to affordable child care, including options for

young children and after-school programming. Families have struggled due to high costs, forcing them to

make hard choices between working to put bread on the table and taking care of their kids

ERIC ADAMS

orking-class families de-
serve nothing less than a
Whard-working administra-
tion that puts their needs first. And
when it comes to child care and af-
ter-school programming, this admin-
istration has listened to the parents of The after-school expansion will also see us raise the provider rates for the non-profit workforce that takes care of our children every day and
this city and taken meaningful action who have gone over 10 years without an increase in pay (Agency file photo)
to support children and make life
more affordable for them.
For too long, too many families 5,000 new K-5 after-school seats on- programming to 184,000 across our efforts, a family earning $55,000 a
have been denied access to afford- line at 40 schools that never had af- city. That is 184,000 students who will year went from spending $55 a week
able child care, including options for ter-school programming. Starting be able to participate in sports, ro- on childcare in 2022 to just $4.80 a
young children and after-school pro- this fall, 5,000 children in neighbor- botics, the arts, field trips, and more week today.
gramming. Families have struggled hoods with the most need will have a — discovering their passions and Additionally, we have introduced
due to high costs, forcing them to safe and nurturing place to go when building relationships with their class- a historic child care pilot for children
make hard choices between working the school day is over. This means mates, while their parents know they 2 years old and younger that puts
to put bread on the table and taking 5,000 students and their parents or are in a safe, learning environment. New York City on the path to univer-
care of their kids, and some have guardians who will no longer have Our after-school expansion will sal childcare for low-income families
even had to leave the city they love. to choose between work and taking also see us raise the provider rates for if the pilot is successful.
Parents deserve better, and our ad- care of their kids — or worse yet, us- the non-profit workforce that takes New York City must be a place
ministration is delivering for them. ing an iPad as a babysitter. care of our children every day and where working-class families can
We know that learning doesn’t Instead, children from work- who have gone over 10 years without afford to live. I know the struggle is
end when the school bell rings at the ing-class families will now have a spot an increase in pay. This means life real. My mother juggled three jobs
end of the day. That is why, earlier in after-school programs where they will become more affordable for not just to put food on the table for her
this year, we announced the goal of can learn and thrive. These 5,000 only families, but those taking care of six children. Universal after-school
achieving universal after-school by new after-school seats mark the first our kids, too. and universal child care for low-in-
creating 20,000 additional K-5 af- phase of our promise to commit an This work builds on our histor- come families is essential to making
ter-school seats for New York City additional $331 million for 20,000 ic investments in young people, in- sure that every child and every fam-
Public School students by the start of new after-school seats over the next cluding historic funding for Summer ily has the chance to thrive in the
the 2027 school year. three school years and will bring Youth Employment and Summer greatest city in the world. It takes a
Last week, we took another step the annual budget for universal af- Rising, and increased and baselined city to raise a child, and with univer-
in delivering on that promise with our ter-school to $755 million annually, funding for 3-K and special education sal after-school programming we are
first batch of 5,000 new after-school baselined by Fiscal Year 2028. Base- pre-K. Our administration has also ensuring New York City is the best
seats for this upcoming school year. lined means the money will be in the driven down the cost of subsidized place to raise a family.
We are investing an additional $21 budget forever, as we increase the child care by over 90 percent since we Eric Adams is the Mayor of
million this school year alone to bring number of students in after-school first came into office. Thanks to our New York City, NY

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