Figure 4: Formal vs. Informal By Age
Share of Parents Who Most Want Formal or Informal Arrangements at Each Age Figure 4
Formal arrangements Informal arrangements
87%
100%
70%
87%
69%
80%
70%
69%
49%
60%
49%
48%
40%
30%
30%
27%
20%
13%
13%
0%
Under Age 1
Age 1
Age 2
Age 3
As preference for formal child care increases through early childhood, so does the amount of nonpa- rental care parents want. Among those parents who most want a formal setting, the share of parents seeking full-day care or care on all weekdays steadily increases from infancy through age three. Under age one, 48 percent want a full day of child care and 67 percent want care all weekdays, while at age three, 55 percent want a full day and 81 percent want care on all weekdays. “A few days a week of morning care, and the occasional longer day with a sitter, is a great way to maintain balance and give our kids developmentally appropriate experiences in early childhood. I wish all families had this choice! The most challenging part is that the cost of part time care can- cels out part-time earnings. I hope that universal childcare will fund part time spots for toddlers and that policy will change to allow for part time 3-K so that children can spend more time with their families when possible, while still benefiting from a structured group experience.” Mom of three children living in Queens Source: Survey of 4,306 parents and caregivers of children ages 0-5 living in New York City; conducted by NORC for New America’s New Practice Lab and Robin Hood, March 31-April 20, 2026. Note: Parents were asked to select the child care option they would want to use most often in a typical week. “Formal arrangements” represents parents who stated they most want a family day care or home-based program, child care center, or school-based pro- gram. “Informal arrangements” represents those parents who selected myself/other parent, family member/relative, or non-relative (e.g., friend, neighbor, nanny). Percentages do not total 100 at each age due to a small share of respondents skipping the question. Notes: Source: Robin Hood
THE 2026 NEW YORK CITY PARENT SURVEY : WHAT CHILD CARE PARENTS WANT 15
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