Home-based child care programs, like the one run by Gertrudis Espinal in the Bronx, are struggling to survive due to economic shocks and limited access to funding.
According to Espinal, the city’s lack of voucher money has led to a significant decline in enrollment, with only seven children enrolled in her program by February, half as many as the previous year.
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Espinal said, “We should be focusing on teaching the kids right now, rather than having to fight for funding. It’s their future.”
In New York City, most low-income families who use child care vouchers enroll their children in home-based programs, which are more vulnerable to economic shocks due to limited enrollment and access to resources.
Support for Home-Based Providers
Some organizations, like the nonprofit Home Grown, are trying to help home-based providers through initiatives such as the Thriving Providers Project, a national program that provides guaranteed income to providers.
Espinal was one of 50 Bronx-based child care providers who benefited from the program, receiving $1,000 monthly for 18 months to use with no restrictions.
She used the funds to buy supplies, pay electricity bills, and invest in her program, which gave her “peace of mind” and allowed her to focus on teaching and training the children.
According to Lara Kyriakou, senior director of policy at All Our Kin, a nonprofit that supports family child care providers, this type of support is essential for stabilizing the industry and providing a stable environment for children.
Research on Thriving Providers
Research conducted by Stanford University’s Center on Early Childhood found that predictable funds allow early educators to pay off debts, buy food, and continue functioning without concerns about funding.
Kyriakou said, “Family child care is still waiting for compensation that is matching the true cost of care. Educators are really concerned about being able to take care of their own personal and family needs, and being able to meet the needs for their program and the children they care for.”
Another provider, Elizabeth Olivo, who also participated in the Thriving Providers Project, used the stipends to purchase essential materials and supplies for her program, but fears that the industry will struggle to remain open if the current status quo continues.
Challenges Facing the Industry
Research shows that even modest cash bonuses and stipend programs for providers can improve chronically low early educator retention rates, but many states are slashing funds, creating longer waitlists and forcing programs to close.
In recent months, President Trump stated that it’s not possible for the federal government to pay for child care costs, leaving providers to rely on private initiatives and state support.
Espinal‘s business is struggling again now that the payment program has ended, and she is worried about being able to pay her expenses, highlighting the need for consistent funding to support early childhood education.
The New York child care advocates are hoping that $500 million for child care included in a Senate budget proposal will make it into the state’s final budget, providing additional compensation to child care providers and boosting their chronically low wages, which are around $13 an hour nationwide.
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