Public Employee Press

Subsidized child care is now available in Queens

Child care costs can put a serious crimp in a city employee’s budget. If degrees were given for juggling babies and budgets, Local 1549 member Theresa Simon would get a PhD.

Simon, the mother of three young children, pays $180 per week for day care for her youngest son, 2-year-old T-Kyrie. “On top of food, rent and clothing, that’s a big budget item,” said Simon. “Parents need to work and that means we need day care — reliable day care.” Simon registered her son for day care through the Administration for Children’s Services, but she is still waiting for a slot.

Help is coming. Subsidies through the Child Care Facilitated Enrollment Project recently became available for some zip codes in Queens. The New York Union Child Care Coalition developed the program, which won additional funding this year to expand into Queens.

“I’m very grateful that my zip code is included in this program,” said Simon. “It’s very helpful to working families. I think it’s wonderful that my union is part of this subsidized day care program.”

The coalition has developed the pilot program for working parents to increase access to child care subsidies and quality care in New York City for children up to 13 in families with qualifying incomes (for example, $55,000 for a family of four). This year’s state budget negotiations produced $6 million to recertify existing families in the Bronx, Brooklyn and lower Manhattan and additional funding for Queens.

DC 37, as part of the coalition, lobbied state representatives and Gov. Eliot Spitzer. However, there is still a gap between the funding and the immense need. “The coalition is working to close that gap,” said Moira Dolan, an assistant director of the DC 37 Research and Negotiations Dept.

“A lot of people don’t know about this program!” said Simon. Dolan said the coalition is still working hard to be able to offer the benefit more widely and to enroll more union members. “We are working at the bargaining table and politically. Members who need child care assistance should make sure their concerns are heard,” said Dolan.

To do that, members can fill out and return the union’s child care survey by going to www.dc37.net and clicking Special Programs under Member Services.