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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Karen Alford, Vice President for Elementary Schools at United Federation of Teachers, on NYC Child Care Navigator
4:40:38
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127 sec
Karen Alford, Vice President for Elementary Schools at the United Federation of Teachers, presents the NYC Child Care Navigator, a new initiative to help families find affordable childcare. The service, initially piloted for UFT members, is now being expanded to all 8 million New York City families.
- The NYC Child Care Navigator is a mobile platform that identifies financial assistance programs, simplifies the application process, and connects families to childcare providers across all five boroughs.
- The service is available in multiple languages and can determine eligibility for assistance programs in five minutes or less.
- During the pilot, 42% of users reported increased household income, and 21% reported a parent returning to the workforce full-time after using the service.
Karen Alford
4:40:38
Thank you.
4:40:39
Again, Karen Alford, U of T's vice president for the elementary schools, and I'm here to shine a spotlight on our newest UFT initiative, the NYC Child Care Navigator.
4:40:52
As a new parent, I was filled with anxiety around the fact that I knew I had to go back to work and I wasn't sure where I'd put my new baby, and so I wish that we'd had this at that time.
4:41:03
We launched this as a pilot.
4:41:05
We created a service to connect our members to affordable childcare.
4:41:09
This service was so successful that now we're expanding it to every family in New York City.
4:41:15
All 8,000,000 New York City families will be able to chat to access childcare they need at a price that they can afford.
4:41:23
It's very simple.
4:41:24
It's a mobile platform that's a one stop shop.
4:41:27
One, it into it in excuse me.
4:41:29
It identifies which financial assistance programs families qualify for based on income, household size, and child and their children's ages, and it does this in five minutes or less.
4:41:44
Next, it simplifies the application process.
4:41:48
It enables families to apply for multiple programs with one single application, and it also comes in many languages to make it easier for families.
4:42:01
And then lastly, it connects families to child care providers throughout all five boroughs.
4:42:07
That includes our home child care providers, pre k centers, three k pre k programs, day care centers, and after finding affordable child care through the New York City child care navigator, forty two percent of the users in the pilot reported increased household income, another 21% reported that a parent was able to return to the workforce full time.
4:42:37
We will continue this service for the membership and we would love to partner with the city council on this newest initiative.
4:42:44
Thank you.