Nursery School Funding for working parents and legal caregivers

What problem would you like to solve?

The cost of nursery school for children under the age of 3 has tripled since the Covid-19 pandemic started in 2020. Working parents cannot afford the increased cost and therefore must cut back work hours or drop out of the workforce to stay at home.

Why is it important to solve? Why is it relevant for the community?

It is important to help working parents with the cost of nursery school for the safety of the parents and children. When both parents cannot work it reduces their family income for food and shelter. It increases the likelihood of poor healthcare and can lead to increased mental health stress. Families that cannot pay rent will be evicted and become homeless. When it is a single-parent household the path to becoming homeless is swift and devastating.  This is very relevant to the community because an increase in homeless families can further deteriorate underfunded and at-risk communities.

What idea do you have to address the problem?

Create a childcare credit that will pay up to 66% of the cost of nursery school for children under the age of 3. This will place the cost of nursery school back to pre-Covid -19 Pandemic levels.

Who would that help?

All working parents and legal caregivers of children under the age of 3

What NYC borough would benefit from your idea?

Manhattan