News from New York State Assemblywomen Shelley Mayer

SENATOR KENNEDY AND ASSEMBLYMEMBER MAYER APPLAUD GOVERNOR CUOMO FOR SIGNING NEW LAW REGULATING DIGITAL LISTING OF AFTER SCHOOL AND SCHOOL AGED CHILD CARE PROGRAMS.

 

ALBANY, NY--Senator Tim Kennedy and Assemblymember Shelley Mayer applaud Governor Andrew Cuomo for signing into law this week a bill they sponsored which directs the Council on Children and Families to create an internet mapping resource of publicly funded afterschool and school aged child care programs.

 

A-02183/S-683, sponsored by Assemblymember Mayer and Senator Kennedy, requires the NYS Council on Children and Families to create an internet mapping resource which lists afterschool and school aged child care providers that receive grants from or are administered by the Office of Children and Family Services or the State Education Department. This new internet mapping resource addresses the need for parents to have easily accessible information about school aged child care and after school program options.

 

The webtool will be accessible through the Office of Children and Family Services' website, and it will provide a map of the different programs available, as well as contact information for the program. The new law requires that the listings be updated annually.

 

"Connecting parents with the resources they need when making important decisions about childcare and after school programs is key. By creating this online map, we're streamlining the search process for families, and making information easily accessible online," said Senator Tim Kennedy. "I'm grateful to Governor Cuomo for recognizing the importance of this tool, and for helping the Assemblymember and me in our efforts to assist New York's families." 

 

"On behalf of all working parents, I am thrilled that Governor Andrew Cuomo recognized the importance of having this tool available to help parents identify after-school programs and  school age child care providers in their area," said Assemblymember Shelley Mayer (AD-90, Yonkers). "I have been fighting to have a tool available where parents can access an online database of programs and this legislation is a common sense solution to the problem. Finding affordable, quality child care and after schools programs is one of the most difficult challenges working parents have to navigate, and this webtool will hopeful ease their search."

 

Thanks to the efforts to pass this bill, the Office of Children and Families created an internet mapping resource to help parents search for affordable after-school and school aged child care centers in their area. The new webtool can be accessed here: NYSChildCare.org.