New York’s Ambitious Plan Aims For Universal Child Care Access

On Wednesday, January 14, 2026, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul announced a partnership with three counties as part of a $4.5 billion investment to deliver statewide universal child care.

Dutchess County, Monroe County, and Broome County are the three counties participating in this new pilot program, which aims to provide additional child care options. According to the announcement, the program includes a total of $60 million in New York State funding, along with new investments from each of the three counties, to expand child care access with a focus on serving children aged 0 to 3 years.

 Read More: $68 Million Allocated To Assist NYS Households

Governor Hochul’s commitment to expanding universal childcare is exactly the kind of leadership working families need right now. By including Broome County in this new upstate pilot, the Governor is helping make life more affordable for parents who just want to go to work, provide for their families, and know their kids are safe and cared for. Thanks to Governor Hochul’s leadership, Broome County will also be opening the largest childcare center in our county this fall, expanding access for hundreds of local families. This investment will help even more working families across Broome County get the affordable, high-quality childcare they need to thrive. - Broome County Executive Jason Garnar 

This statewide plan to deliver universal child care for all New York children under the age of five also includes achieving truly universal Pre-K, continuing access to low-cost, affordable child care assistance programs, launching 2-care, and reaching universal 3K access in New York City, supporting the workforce through early childhood educator preparation, and expanding the child and dependent care credit to support families.

I'll never stop working to make life more affordable for New Yorkers, and that's why my plan will deliver universal child care for families all across New York. As part of my plan to support every county statewide, this new pilot program will help counties develop and expand new models for providing child care for families, regardless of their income status. - New York State Governor Kathy Hochul