The Most Important Hours in a Child's Day May Be the Ones Government Overlooks

As a father of two young children and a longtime New York City government budget and procurement professional, I've come to believe that after-school programs, summer opportunities and dependable childcare deserve to be treated as essential public infrastructure- not optional extras.

By Scott Webber, DrPH, MBA, MPA, MPH

I've spent more than two decades working in New York City government, managing budgets, reviewing expenditures, overseeing procurements and evaluating how public resources are allocated.

But becoming a father has given me a different perspective on government services.

I have two young children, and like many working parents, I've become increasingly aware that the school day and the workday operate on entirely different schedules.

Government expects employees to work full days. Employers need reliable staffing. Families need stable incomes.

Yet elementary schools often dismiss students hours before their parents finish working.

Then there are school holidays, professional development days, winter recess, spring recess and summer vacation.

For children, these breaks can be welcome opportunities to rest and explore new interests.

For parents, they can create a logistical challenge requiring considerable planning.

And for families without flexible schedules, nearby relatives or the financial resources to purchase private childcare, the challenge can be much more serious.

We've built an education system around the school day without fully addressing what happens during the rest of a child's day.

I believe that's a public administration problem as much as an education problem.

Becoming a Parent Changes How You Evaluate Government Services

Before having children, I tended to evaluate many government programs through the lens of their budgets, legal requirements and operational performance.

I still do.

But now I also think about whether a program actually works for the families it's intended to serve.

Is it available when parents need it?

Is it located somewhere practical?

Does enrollment require navigating multiple websites or application processes?

Does the program operate consistently?

And does it provide meaningful developmental opportunities rather than simply supervising children until pickup?

These questions matter because families experience government as a collection of services that must somehow fit together.

School transportation, childcare, recreation, public health, libraries and after-school programs may be administered by different agencies.

Parents, however, need them to function as one reasonably coherent system.

I live outside New York City, but my family's experience with school schedules has made me appreciate that these challenges extend across municipal and suburban boundaries.

The details differ by school district.

The underlying problem is remarkably similar.

Childcare Is an Economic Development Issue

We often discuss childcare as a family expense or social service.

I believe we should also consider it part of the infrastructure supporting workforce participation.

In February 2025, the New York State Comptroller reported that the average annual price of childcare in New York had reached approximately $14,621 in 2023, based on U.S. Department of Labor data.

The report identified high costs, staffing shortages and insufficient availability as persistent challenges.

Those findings have consequences beyond household budgets.

A parent who cannot find dependable childcare may reduce working hours, decline a promotion or leave the workforce.

An employer may lose an experienced employee.

Government may experience lower income tax collections and increased demand for other services.

From a budgeting perspective, those consequences deserve consideration.

When we invest in transportation infrastructure, we recognize that improving access to employment can create broader economic benefits.

Childcare deserves similar analysis.

A reliable after-school program may be just as important to a parent's ability to work as a reliable train or bus.

Source: New York State Comptroller, February 6, 2025
https://www.osc.ny.gov/press/releases/2025/02/child-care-ny-challenged-staff-shortages-high-prices-and-too-few-slots

The School Day Doesn't End When Children Stop Learning

One reason I support quality after-school programming is that children benefit from experiences beyond traditional classroom instruction.

Academic learning is important.

But so are sports, music, art, social interaction, leadership and practical problem-solving.

Not every child discovers their interests through textbooks.

Some develop confidence through athletics.

Others discover an interest in engineering, computers or science through hands-on projects.

Still others benefit from creative activities or structured opportunities to build friendships.

New York City's Comprehensive After School System, known as COMPASS, offers free programming involving academic support, arts, recreation and science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics activities.

The City's elementary-school COMPASS model generally provides three hours of programming each weekday, with additional programming during designated school holidays and summer periods.

These are meaningful investments.

But the existence of a program doesn't necessarily mean every family can obtain a convenient placement.

Capacity, location, transportation, eligibility and provider staffing all affect practical access.

I would encourage government to measure unmet demand as carefully as enrollment.

How many families seek a placement?

How many cannot obtain one?

Are programs available where demand is greatest?

And do operating hours align with the schedules of working parents?

Those are management questions that can be answered with better information.

Source: NYC Department of Youth and Community Development, COMPASS Program Models
https://www.nyc.gov/site/dycd/services/after-school/COMPASS_program_model.page

Government Should Think About Childcare the Way It Thinks About Capacity Planning

In my work at the Department of Correction, I deal with technology systems, equipment, contracts and operating budgets.

One recurring challenge is ensuring that government has sufficient capacity to meet operational demand.

Purchasing equipment is only one part of that responsibility.

The agency also needs staffing, maintenance, support services and appropriate contingency arrangements.

Youth programs face a similar challenge.

An after-school program may have classroom space but insufficient personnel.

It may have funding but lack transportation.

It may have an approved contract but experience delays in hiring, background checks or other readiness requirements.

The result is the same.

Families cannot access the service when they need it.

The City's 2026 COMPASS guidance acknowledged that some programs might begin the school year with limited activities or grades while providers finalized staffing and safety requirements.

That is a useful reminder that appropriating funds and announcing a program are not the same as making it operational.

In procurement, I would want to know whether a contractor can deliver the services described in its proposal.

The same expectation should apply to youth services.

A funded childcare slot has little immediate value to a working parent if the program isn't ready to accept the child.

Source: NYC DYCD, COMPASS After-School September 2026 Frequently Asked Questions
https://www.nyc.gov/site/dycd/services/after-school/COMPASS_start-up2026.page

Summer Is a Particular Challenge

Summer creates a different set of problems.

For children, it can be an opportunity for exploration, recreation and independence.

For working parents, it can mean arranging several consecutive weeks of supervision and activities.

Private camps may be expensive.

Schedules may not cover an entire workday.

Transportation can be complicated.

And enrollment may require decisions months in advance.

I believe municipalities should view summer programming as an essential part of their youth services strategy.

That doesn't mean every child needs a highly structured academic schedule throughout the summer.

Children need time to play, develop friendships and enjoy themselves.

But families should have access to safe, affordable opportunities that support those experiences.

Summer programs can also help reduce disparities between children whose families can afford enrichment activities and those who cannot.

Libraries, parks, recreation departments, schools and community organizations all have roles to play.

The challenge is coordinating them effectively.

Youth Employment Can Change the Direction of a Life

As children grow older, the priorities change.

Supervision becomes less central.

Exposure to employment, professional expectations and career opportunities becomes increasingly important.

I began developing my understanding of government through early professional experiences, including internships.

My time at OMB helped introduce me to the relationship between budgeting, performance measurement and public services.

That experience contributed to my understanding of what a career in public administration could involve.

I believe young people benefit enormously from similar opportunities.

New York City's Summer Youth Employment Program provides paid work experiences and career exploration opportunities for residents ages 14 through 24.

For 2026, the City announced plans to provide 100,000 jobs and other paid opportunities.

Programs like this can introduce young people to workplace expectations, professional relationships and careers they might otherwise never consider.

But I would like to see greater emphasis on the quality of placements.

Are participants receiving meaningful responsibilities?

Are they learning transferable skills?

Are employers providing appropriate supervision?

And are participants gaining exposure to potential career paths?

A successful youth employment program should accomplish more than issuing paychecks.

It should help young people imagine possibilities for their futures.

Source: NYC Department of Youth and Community Development, January 23, 2026
https://www.nyc.gov/assets/dycd/downloads/pdf/Press_Releases/SYEP_2026_Application-FINAL.pdf

The Families Who Need Services Most May Have the Least Flexibility

Another issue that concerns me is the administrative burden associated with obtaining assistance.

Government programs frequently have separate applications, eligibility requirements, documentation procedures and enrollment deadlines.

These requirements may serve legitimate purposes.

But their cumulative effect can be substantial.

A parent working multiple jobs may have difficulty attending an enrollment appointment during business hours.

A family without reliable transportation may be unable to use a program located several miles away.

A parent who doesn't speak English fluently may struggle with complicated application instructions.

And families with children who have disabilities may require accommodations that aren't consistently available.

I believe agencies should design programs around the circumstances of the people they're intended to serve.

That includes accessible applications, clear communication, coordinated enrollment and realistic transportation options.

Government shouldn't confuse the existence of a program with equitable access to it.

What I Would Change

If I were evaluating youth services from a government management perspective, I would focus on five improvements.

First, measure unmet demand. Enrollment statistics should be supplemented with information about waiting lists, geographic gaps and families unable to obtain placements.

Second, align program hours with family needs. Agencies should consider how school schedules, work schedules and transportation interact.

Third, strengthen provider accountability. Contracts should establish clear expectations for staffing, program availability, safety and service quality.

Fourth, improve coordination across agencies. Schools, libraries, parks departments and community organizations should work together to reduce duplication and expand opportunities.

Fifth, evaluate long-term outcomes. Programs should measure educational engagement, skill development, family satisfaction and, where appropriate, employment-related results.

These recommendations don't require every municipality to create an entirely new system.

They require treating youth services as an interconnected investment rather than a collection of unrelated programs.

The Most Important Hours May Be the Ones We Overlook

My children are still young.

I don't know exactly what careers they'll pursue or which interests will become important to them.

But I know that their development isn't confined to the hours they spend in a classroom.

They learn through play, friendships, family experiences, sports, reading and exploring the world around them.

Those experiences deserve attention.

After more than two decades in government budgeting and administration, I've learned that public investment decisions should be evaluated through their long-term consequences.

Youth services are a particularly important example.

A dependable after-school program can help a parent remain employed.

A summer activity can introduce a child to a new interest.

A first job can help a teenager develop confidence and professional skills.

And a positive relationship with a mentor can influence decisions that extend well beyond childhood.

These benefits don't always fit neatly into annual budget calculations.

But that doesn't make them less important.

Government shouldn't consider its responsibility to children complete when the school bell rings.

If we want stronger families, a more capable future workforce and healthier communities, we need to pay greater attention to the hours between school dismissal and bedtime—and to the months when school isn't in session.

Because some of the most valuable investments government can make occur outside the classroom.

References and Further Reading

1. New York State Comptroller — Child Care in NY Challenged by Staff Shortages, High Prices and Too Few Slots (February 6, 2025)

https://www.osc.ny.gov/press/releases/2025/02/child-care-ny-challenged-staff-shortages-high-prices-and-too-few-slots

2. NYC Comptroller — Child Care Affordability and the Benefits of Universal Provision (January 15, 2025)

https://comptroller.nyc.gov/reports/child-care-affordability-and-the-benefits-of-universal-provision/

3. NYC Department of Youth and Community Development — COMPASS Program Models

https://www.nyc.gov/site/dycd/services/after-school/COMPASS_program_model.page

4. NYC Department of Youth and Community Development — COMPASS After-School September 2026 Frequently Asked Questions

https://www.nyc.gov/site/dycd/services/after-school/COMPASS_start-up2026.page

5. NYC Public Schools — After-School Programs

https://www.schools.nyc.gov/school-life/school-environment/after-school

6. NYC Department of Youth and Community Development — 2026 Summer Youth Employment Program Announcement (January 23, 2026)

https://www.nyc.gov/assets/dycd/downloads/pdf/Press_Releases/SYEP_2026_Application-FINAL.pdf

7. NYC Department of Youth and Community Development — Summer Youth Employment Program

https://www.nyc.gov/site/dycd/services/jobs-internships/summer-youth-employment-program-syep.page

The views expressed in this article are my own and do not necessarily represent the positions of the New York City Department of Correction or the City of New York.