This week, the Center for American Progress released a new report titled “Valuing Women’s Caregiving During and After the Coronavirus Crisis” which highlights the need to support caregivers during the crisis, but also to think about medium- and long-term strategies to ensure that this does not result in a long-term crisis within childcare.
The report presents the current context, in which a lack of strong childcare policies left the United States entire workforce in a precarious position, but especially black women and women of color, who, as the report points out, have higher workforce participation rates and fewer job benefits and protections. This system was then exposed by the global pandemic, and, unsurprisingly has disproportionately affected working women.
In addition to the immediate effects, such as increased unemployment and loss of childcare options, women have had to face mounting obstacles to workforce participation, which are centered around childcare provision. Those lucky enough to work from home cannot rely on daycares, nurseries or primary schools and must split their time, leading to more stress and worsening mental health.
Those whose work has been deemed essential have an even more difficult choice to make, between quitting their jobs to provide care or creating a makeshift arrangement while increasing the likelihood of bringing coronavirus home to their families. Compounding this is the fact that essential workers often live in more crowded homes.
As if this wasn’t bad enough, Center for American Progress has predicted the US could lose up to 4.5 million childcare spaces as the industry collapses and no federal legislation is there to take its place. Looking at the horizon then, it is imperative we develop and institute strong policies to prevent this crisis from becoming permanent and the report makes several suggestions:
