Welfare to work: the effect of a health-care program in child-care centers

Welfare reform has increased pressure on welfare recipients to enter the labor force. When they become employed, former recipients often do not have paid leave that can be used to care for their young children when they are sick. We wished to determine whether an on-site health-care program in child-care centers serving low-income families affected the amount of time parents took off of work to care for mildly ill children.

We surveyed parents in 6 child-care centers with an on-site health-care program and in 2 comparison centers without such a program. To analyze survey results, a regression model including demographic and other variables was used to determine which, if any, variables were associated with time taken by parents from work to care for sick children.

Analyzing the variables of employer leave policy, poverty level, age of child, and enrollment in the health-care program, only the variable of health-care program enrollment was associated with taking less time from work to care for sick children.

Health-care programs in child-care settings can help parents meet the health needs of their children while reducing absenteeism from work, thereby contributing to job stability.