New York State’s Workforce Development: Laying the Foundation for our Future Workforce and Educational Success through Quality Child Care

By Marsha Basloe and Fannie Glover, Early Care & Learning Council


Why should businesses worry about child care? There are multiple reasons why child care must become a priority for all employers. First of all, without adequate, safe, and reliable child care many New York State residents simply would not and could not work. Second of all, when employees are supported in finding quality child care for their children, employees are more productive and absenteeism is reduced.


Various research studies have shown that employee absences were reduced by 20-30 percent and turnover by 37-60 percent. 85 percent of employers report that providing child care services improves employee recruitment and  49 percent of employers reported that child care services helped boost employee productivity.


An average business with 250 employees can save $75,000 per year in lost work time by subsidizing care for employees’ sick children. U.S. companies lose $3 billion annually as a consequence of child care-related absences, estimates the Child Care Action Campaign. 


The need for child care is high. In New York State, more than 60 percent of children under the age of six live in homes where two parents or a single head of household are employed. However, quality child care is costly. In New York State, the average cost for child care for a 1-year-old in a high-quality setting totals almost $13,000 a year – more than double the cost of tuition at SUNY.


Extensive evidence from longitudinal studies indicates that the cognitive, social and emotional skills developed during a child’s early years play critical roles in the attainment of key adult competencies and positive life outcomes. Research also tells us that for every $1 invested in high-quality early care and education, our communities save between $4 and $17 in future costs of remedial and special education, the juvenile crime system and welfare support. 


Although most of a child’s brain development is happening by age 3, our society doesn’t invest in children until they begin school. If children are not ready for kindergarten, they typically are not reading by 3rd grade, often fail to graduate, and cannot enter the work force with the skills for job success.


What can employers do to support their employees? Be an advocate to ensure that all employers understand the importance of investing in a more productive workforce by supporting families and quality child care programs. High-quality early care and education is the foundation of a child’s future success and therefore a community’s future success. Ask how you can support QUALITYstarsNY, NYS’s quality rating and improvement system in your area. 
HR leaders understand child development and the crucial role the earliest years play in the development of a future workforce. Local businesses can play an important role in this work here in New York State. 


For more information on early childhood and child care, go to www.earlycareandlearning.org. 


Access SHRM’s paper on Meeting the Workforce Needs of the Future at http://www.readynation.org/uploads/20100616_PAESSHRM.web.pdf.

Marsha Basloe is the executive director of Early Care & Learning Council and a co-convener of Winning BeginningNY, a statewide coalition focused on early education and development. 


Fannie Glover works with Consultant Services and New Initiatives. She is a board member of NYSSHRM.  They can be contacted at MBasloe@earlycareandlearning.org and fglover@earlycareandlearning.org.