Gaps in representative data limit New York City’s ability to tailor child care investments effectively.

Despite ongoing policy discussions and programs focused on expanding access to child care, New York City lacks current, representative data that truly reflects what parents and caregivers of young children want and need from the public child care system. Existing surveys, such as those conducted by advocacy groups, have provided useful feedback but fall short in representativeness or scope. These data limitations hinder the city’s ability to equitably allocate investment, design services aligned with family preferences, and address disparities across neighborhoods. Understanding parents’ preferred types of care, timing, spending, and trusted information sources is crucial for informed decision-making that supports families and promotes equitable early childhood development.

NORC partnered with New Practice Lab and Robin Hood Foundation to field a citywide, representative survey of NYC parents of children under age 6.

To address these evidence gaps, NORC at the University of Chicago, in partnership with New Practice Lab (NPL) and the funder Robin Hood Foundation, developed the 2026 NYC Child Care Survey. This survey seeks to provide the definitive quantitative data source on child care needs citywide and at the school district level. NORC designed a mail-to-web survey approach targeting a representative probability-based sample of approximately 1,500 eligible parents and primary caregivers of children under six years old across New York City. This was supplemented by 1,000 respondents from an opt-in sample to reach a total of 2,500 participants. The invitation mailings, conducted in English and Spanish with a modest incentive, aimed to ensure broad accessibility and participation.

The questionnaire includes about 45 questions, mixing closed-ended and open-ended items, covering topics such as preferred child care arrangements by child age, parental leave preferences, current out-of-pocket spending, and perceptions of care quality. NORC leveraged its expertise in sampling, weighting, and small area estimation to produce reliable data disaggregated by key demographics and school districts. The collaboration with NPL brought specialized child care policy knowledge and aided in survey development, user testing, and analytic planning. This innovative partnership ensured methodological strength and policy relevance, making the data actionable for municipal decision-makers.