States Move to Balance Family and Work
As the nation celebrated Mother’s Day 1999,
mothers and other caregivers who support families are working
harder—and managing more responsibilities—than ever before, according to
state-by-state data recently compiled by CPA. Fully 63 percent of
mothers of children aged six and under work outside
the home; this figure goes up to 78 percent for mothers
of school-aged children. Furthermore, working mothers are
increasingly likely to be the primary caregivers for aging parents and
relatives as well as their own children.
Supports available to working mothers and caregivers, ranging
from extended day programs sponsored by public schools to child care,
vary greatly from state to state.
"Where you live determines what help exists for working
mothers and caregivers to juggle family and work successfully," said
CPA President and CEO Linda Tarr-Whelan.
Many Western states are taking legislative action to ease the
balance between family and work. California
recently introduced a bill that would establish the Parent Services
Project and Family Support in Child Care and Development Programs.
These initiatives would award grants to child care providers that
contract with the California Department of Education to establish family
support programs in child care and development centers.
New Mexico legislators are considering bills that will assist
families in securing quality child care. One bill (HB 79) increases the rates of
reimbursement for child care, while another (SJM 17) requires that a
strategic plan be developed for early child care, education and before and
after school care programs in New Mexico.
In Oregon, a bill which adds child care businesses to the classes
of businesses eligible to receive financial assistance under certain state
economic development programs is under consideration. Policymakers in that
state also introduced a measure that allows for the awarding of
unemployment compensation to parents who miss work because child care services are
unavailable for their children under 13.
The disparity between the large number of working caregivers and
the few supports available to them exists in large part due to the invisibility of
informal caregiving in the U.S. Most unpaid caregivers hold down
additional full or part-time jobs. And a growing number of Americans spend time
caring for elderly parents or relatives.
"It’s great that working mothers have so many options open to them
as we celebrate Mother’s Day 1999, but it’s also high time we formally
recognize how tough it is to balance family and work," said Linda
Tarr-Whelan, President and CEO of CPA.
For a copy of the report Mothers Working: State-by-state Data on
Mothers at Work, contact CPA. The material is also available on CPA’s website.
CPA’s Western Policy Leaders Forum will convene "Family, Work &
Community: Investing in Community Support," June 11-13 in Seattle for
Western women legislators and community activists.
