Child care preferences change based on the child’s age. New York City parents do not all want the same child care arrangements or early childhood experiences for their children. Some prefer larger settings where children can socialize in groups with other kids, while others favor more individualized care. Many parents would also want to combine arrangements; 44 percent said they would ideally use another type of child care alongside the setting they most want (for example, a parent and a relative). One striking finding, however, is that parents’ child care prefer- ences are not static, shifting significantly as children grow. 14 In other words, what parents most want for an infant differs from their ideal set-up for a three-year-old. While this may intuitively reflect children’s developmental needs at different stages of early childhood, this is the first time that the demand in NYC for different types of care at different ages has been measured. As shown in Figure 3, during their child’s first year, parental care is the overwhelming preference, with 69 percent selecting this arrangement. 15 Care from another relative is a distant second choice at 13 percent, though 43 percent of parents who want a combination of child care options at this age select- ed parental and relative care. Only 13 percent identify formal care as their preferred arrangement for a child under age one. At age one, the share preferring formal care more than doubles to 27 percent, while the preference for parental care drops from 69 percent to 40 percent, still the top choice, fol- lowed by care from another relative at 23 percent. “After going through this, especially as a nursing parent, I see how crucial the first year is and how dependent a child is on building their attachment systems. In a perfect world I would love to afford at least a year off (or work very part-time), with myself and family caregivers really until around 15 months after which the kid is usually walking, more independent and more interested in social relationships with peers. Even with two self employed parents this is not possible finan- cially or logistically.” Mom of a two-year-old living in Brooklyn
14 This aligns with the child care findings from the New Practice Lab’s 2026 National Parent Survey: https://www.newamerica.org/insights/2026-nation- al-parent-survey/ 15 Parents were asked what child care arrangement they would most want to have and provided with the following response options: Yourself/other parent, Family member/relative, Non-relative, Family day care or home-based program, Child care center, and School-based program.
THE 2026 NEW YORK CITY PARENT SURVEY : WHAT CHILD CARE PARENTS WANT 13
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