Testimony of Susan C. Antos on behalf of Winning Beginning NY

Thank you, on behalf of Winning Beginning NY (WBNY), for this opportunity to discuss policies to assist working families in New York State.  As the State’s leading coalition on early learning, we are delighted to see your interest in supporting working families, and stand ready to assist with policy recommendations, data and research to support your work.

Our coalition, with organizational and individual members across New York State, has significant expertise in shaping effective policies and implementation for services that support children’s early learning and school readiness, from the prenatal period to age eight.  We know that child care provides a key venue for providing school readiness skills and critical supports to parents’ ability to work and support their families.  Indeed, the research shows there is no better investment than one in quality early learning to keep children learning and parents earning.

Our coalition also advocates for an integrated and effective system of early learning that leverages all the investments that support young children and their families, including  home visiting, early intervention and afterschool.

My name is Susan Antos. I am a member of the Winning Beginning Steering Committee and co-chair of the Winning Beginning Child Care subcommittee.

There is much work to be done to make the State’s child care system more equitable and robust for working families, and supportive of workers in the early learning field.  Investment in quality must also be key, not only to support working families, but to invest in the workforce of the future.

Click here to read the full testimony.  All peripheral documents are linked below.

Supporting Documents:

Child Care Copay Disparities Chart 2015

Joint Budget Work Exemption Memo

Cost Analysis: Targeting Child Care Dollars to Low Wage Working Parents