Who is taking care of America's children? cover art

Who is taking care of America's children?

Who is taking care of America's children?

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 Ask parents of young children how they manage childcare, and chances are you'll hear one word: juggle. In case you didn't know, America has no uniform system of childcare, or even a working patchwork of systems. Parents are on their own in an increasingly challenging environment. Private childcare is scarce and, when available, averages over $1000 per month, per child. Only 12% (!) of parents have access to any form of childcare benefit through an employer, yet studies show that employers who invest in childcare reap phenomenal rewards. Only about 8% of America's children live in extended families - a traditional source of childcare support - compared to about 38% globally. And wait, there's more: one in seven adults is also providing care for another adult! And the vast majority of this unpaid care work falls primarily to women. Let's take a closer look. Resources: Adult caregiving often seen as very meaningful by those who do it, "Among teens who say it's best if one parent focuses on the family, most say it’s better if that parent is the mother", U.S. has world's highest rate of children living in single-parent households | Pew Research Center, Census Bureau Releases New Estimates on America’s Families and Living Arrangements, Childcare Benefits More Than Pay for Themselves, Getting a Job: Is There a Motherhood Penalty? | Gender Action Portal
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