SCARSDALE – Assemblywoman Amy Paulin (D-88) and Senator David Carlucci (D-38) will host a 9:30 a.m. press conference on Nov. 23 in Paulin’s District Office to discuss A.1083/S.1422, legislation she authored regarding the availability of day care for children in New York, and to urge Governor Andrew Cuomo to sign it into law. The Governor has until Nov. 26 to sign the bill.

The bill directs the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) to examine, evaluate and make recommendations on the availability of child day care services in New York. This information will help enable the State to address identified gaps and weaknesses in making available quality, affordable child care.

“This legislation is critical to ensuring family stability, economic security and positive child growth outcomes, and empowers working parents, particularly women,” Paulin said. “Lack of affordable child care is a major impediment for women who want to enter and stay in the workforce. We know that the employment of parents plays a significant role in moving families from welfare to work, improving the economic circumstances of the family as well as the social and emotional well-being of children.”

The child care study called for in the bill will require OCFS to look at several elements of child care, including the number of day care providers for working families and those at or near poverty, the cost to parents and guardians for child care, demand for child care, including identifying nontraditional child care needs for parents who work other than a 9 to 5 shift or part-time, and procedures to establish quality child care The information gathered will also assist the State in fulfilling its responsibility under federal law to provide education to parents, providers and the public about the availability of child care services in the State.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are approximately 4.3 million working women in New York State. Of those, 1.2 million are working mothers. However, according to OCFS, there have only been about 19,000 licensed providers across the State over the last decade. Parents who are unable to afford licensed day care providers or programs are sometimes forced to choose between placing their children with less reliable options or to leave them home alone. Other parents are forced to reduce work hours or quit jobs altogether to remain home and care for their children.

Paulin’s District Office is located at 700 White Plains Road, Suite 252, in Scarsdale.