Sick child care options: what do working mothers prefer?

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Workforce Studies
• Childcare Research

Background:

• Over half of mothers with children under six are in the labor force.
• Working mothers annually miss 5.6 to 28.8 days for child sickness.
• Limited sick child care options pose challenges for employed parents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess working mothers' interest in out-of-home sick child care.
• To identify characteristics of mothers preferring out-of-home sick child care.
• To estimate potential economic benefits of improved sick child care.

Main Methods:

• Survey of 134 working mothers with children in day care centers.
• Analysis of demographic and socioeconomic factors associated with care choices.
• Estimation of employer savings based on reduced absenteeism.

Main Results:

• 70% of surveyed mothers expressed interest in out-of-home sick child care.
• Minority, single mothers, and those earning <$10,000 were more likely to choose out-of-home care.
• Mothers favoring out-of-home care were also more likely to keep mildly ill children in school.

Conclusions:

• Out-of-home sick child care options are highly desired by working mothers, particularly those in vulnerable demographics.
• Implementing such services could significantly reduce parental absenteeism and benefit employers.
• Day care centers and communities should explore these options to support working families and the economy.