What You Need to Know About How Child Care Affects Women
For many women, child care is a large factor in determining their ability to return to work after childbirth. Here’s what you need to know about how child care, and the lack thereof, affects women.
There are many different types of child care, as well as different ways to fund it, to ensure that women are able to return to work without worrying about the care their child will receive while they are away.
Why is Child Care Important?
Child care is important for both the child and the mother. Not only does child care provide early education and stimulation, but it also supplements the child’s home environment and therefore plays a large role in the child’s early development. Even more so, it gives working parents the ability to return to work and trust that their child is being cared for and prepared to eventually go to school in the future.
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Types of Child Care
There are a variety of different types of child care, including the following general umbrella types:
- Family child care homes, in which child care providers care for smaller groups of children in a residential setting. Usually, these providers allow siblings to be cared for together, due to caring for a smaller number of children in a wider age range. Family child care homes often offer non-traditional hours in comparison to other types of care.
- Child care centers, in which children are cared for in a larger commercial setting. In these settings, children are grouped by age and are cared for by a larger, professional staff, and includes programs through school or summer daycare. This setting is most similar to a school setting.
- Preschool programs, in which children between the ages of three and five years old are cared for in a setting that focuses on school readiness. Preschool programs are offered through schools, church programs, and non-profits. Some preschools might operate a yearly schedule, while others may not.
- School-age programs, in which children are cared for before and after school hours and during school breaks. Some schools contract outside organizations, such as the YMCA, to provide care at school. Additionally, other programs like non-profits, churches, and community organizations may also provide school-age care.
- Family, friend, and neighbor care, in which a child is cared for by someone the parent personally knows. This type of care is the least regulated because health and safety regulations are usually not required. However, it can be the cheapest while also providing the most flexibility with hours and transportation.
With so many different types of child care, selecting a program depends mainly on finding the program that will work the best for the parent and for the child. Some parents prefer family child care homes because of their more family-style atmosphere, while others prefer child care centers because of their higher level of structure and regulation. Regardless, finding a quality child care provider can be very important to ensure a safe and stress-free return to work.
How to Pay for Child Care
The high expense of child care is a large contributor to some parents needing to stay at home to watch their children instead of returning to work. However, there are different resources available to alleviate the cost of child care and help these parents return to the workforce, including the following:
- Government programs, such as state child care assistance, Early Head Start and Head Start (federally funded programs available for individuals at or below the poverty line), state-funded pre-kindergarten programs, and child care for family members of the military and Department of Defense.
- Employee benefits, such as employer-assisted dependent care, where some employers allow employees to allocate a portion of their paycheck to child care. Additionally, some employers may offer programs like on-site child care or discounts with other providers.
- Some programs adjust the cost of child care based on a family’s income. Additionally, need-based scholarships may be available to assist parents. Reach out to a local Child Care Resource & Referral agency for more information.
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If you or a loved one has any more questions about how child care affects women, get your free consultation with one of our experienced Family Law Attorneys today!