2-Care for All
New York City's child care system has a glaring gap: no free care for children under 3.
In 2025, parents started fighting for 2-Care: free, full-day, full-year child care for 2-year-olds.
This year, Governor Hochul and Mayor Mamdani announced a historic commitment to launch 2-Care - the first expansion of universal child care in New York since 2018.
This is a huge step forward - but there’s more work to do to make sure the program passes the city and state budgets — and that it is a truly universal and permanent program.
Why 2s?
Costs are Out of Control: Child care for a 2-year-old in NYC costs families $20,000+/year - more than the cost of full-time tuition at CUNY
Access is Disappearing: Toddler care is mainly available to wealthy families, and options for working and middle-class neighborhoods are disappearing.
Vouchers Aren’t Enough: Only 20% of eligible toddlers currently receive child care subsidies. The system is failing working families.
New York’s Economy is Taking a Hit: Families are going into debt, leaving jobs, and leaving the city. In 2022, NYC lost $23 billion as parents left the workforce - or the state entirely - because of child care costs.
Improves Child Development: Two-year-olds are at a crucial stage of brain development. Providing quality care shapes education and social outcomes for years to come.
What We’re Fighting For
Free child care for all 60,000 2-year-olds in New York City - just like Pre-K and 3-K
No income restrictions
Full-day and full-year-round coverage that works for working parents
Fair wages for child care providers
Seats in every neighborhood - not just wealthy ones
How 2-Care Works
Cost: $1.3 billion annually, at full scale
Enrollment: Simple, mirroring NYC public schools - just name, date of birth, and proof of address
Implementation: Start in high-need districts and expand quickly to every borough by converting existing toddler care programs and building capacity in child care deserts.
Timeline: City-wide expansion within 4 years.
Funding: Existing state and federal child care dollars, along with a dedicated City tax levy and state revenue
Specialized Programming: Include support for children with disabilities and other specialized needs
Providers: Invest in living wages for ALL child care providers, especially family child care providers. Fair wages are integral to the program’s success - not an afterthought.
What’s Next?
In January 2026, Gov. Hochul and Mayor Mamdani announced a $500 million investment in 2-Care, scaling to 12,000 seats in 2027.
But the funding runs out in 2 years — and 12,000 seats is far from universal.
The program must be made permanent and fully funded in the City and State budgets.
Parents need to know free child care is here to stay, not another program that disappears.