The new tools let families search 10,000 providers across the five boroughs and weigh in on what the city’s child care system should look like
New York City launched two major child care resources this week: the first-ever citywide interactive map for locating providers and a survey reaching over 400,000 families to help shape the future of universal child care. Bushwick parents can now visit nyc.gov/childcare to search for 2-K, 3-K, and Pre-K options by location, age group, and cost, consolidating information on 10,000 child care programs that was previously scattered across multiple sites.
The website went live Wednesday, April 1, following the Tuesday launch of the city’s parent survey. The platform includes a short questionnaire to match families with providers, plain-language guides to different care options, and health and safety inspection records for each program. Live support is available by phone or email through community organizations.
The parent survey is designed to ensure that the city’s planned universal child care system reflects what New York families actually need. Households are being randomly selected via the U.S. Postal Service delivery database to receive postcards inviting them to participate. The methodology is intended to capture a representative cross-section of parents across all five boroughs, not just those who seek out the survey on their own.
Families who received postcards should use their unique PIN to access the approximately 15-minute survey at nycparents.NORC.org and will receive a $10 incentive upon completion. Only one response per household is accepted. The survey, conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago, is confidential, is not affiliated with any political campaign, and does not ask about immigration status. Parents who did not receive postcards can still participate online.
Child care in New York City can cost more than $25,000 per year per child, with long waitlists and a system many families find difficult to navigate. The dual launch addresses both immediate needs: making existing resources easier to find—and long-term policy, by collecting input that will inform how the city’s child care expansion is designed.
The website is available in multiple languages and optimized for mobile devices. Families can filter providers by services offered, eligibility requirements, and contact information, and get directions to programs in their neighborhood.
Both tools were developed with input from parents, according to city officials.
For more information, visit nyc.gov/childcare or take the parent survey at nycparents.NORC.org.
