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New York City families now have a one-stop-shop to search all available child care options in the five boroughs, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Wednesday.
The NYC Child Care Hub is the city’s first-ever comprehensive directory. It includes detailed information on over 10,000 private, community, and city-run child care programs. Families can find health and safety inspection records, walking and transit directions, and cost and contact information for each center. It also offers tips on questions families should ask child care providers.
“Too often, parents in this city have been forced to rely on information they can only find from one set of friends or another, this Facebook group or that — they have been made to feel as if they have to jump through a certain number of hoops in order to know where their options even are,” said Mamdani at the announcement. “This will make it easier for parents to understand the options in front of them.”
The directory brings together information that had previously required separate searches: free preschool programs for 3- and 4-year-olds run by the city’s Education Department (and follow the school-year hours and calendar), home-based care that is overseen by the state’s Office of Children and Family Services, and center-based care licensed through the city’s Health Department.
The tool comes a month after Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the launch of 2,000 2-K seats opening this fall. It will be helpful to close the knowledge and access gap as the city gears up to announce the locations for its first wave of free 2-K seats, which will largely rely on the existing network of home-based providers, officials have said.
Through the tool’s lookup map, families can type in their address and filter by their child’s birth date and their preferred provider type.The platform also includes financial resources, with details on the Cash Assistance or Child Care in Lieu of Cash Assistance programs administered by the city’s Human Resources Administration.
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One-on-one, personalized guidance is also available. Parents with additional questions about navigating child care applications or the directory can call the Hub helpline between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. at 1-888-469-5999 or fill out a contact form for phone or email support. Both the Hub and individualized support are available in multiple languages.
The site was developed in partnership with families and advocacy organizations to ensure it meets the needs of New York City families. The city will continue to update child care listings as new options become available, Mamdani said.
Last October, the United Federation of Teachers launched its own child care lookup site that allows families to search providers by ZIP code. The city’s tool, while similar, also offers an interactive questionnaire that helps families filter by specific needs such as child age, day of week and time needed, and preferred center type.
“We hear all the time from families who say they didn’t know they were qualified for 3-K or they didn’t know there was a center near them. Now parents will know that they have options,” said Kellen Calder, parent and organizer with New Yorkers United for Child Care, at the announcement.
Lizzie Walsh is a Data Fellow at Chalkbeat New York. She reports on New York City education and produces data-driven stories across Chalkbeat’s national network. Contact her at ewalsh@chalkbeat.org.