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August 2, 2008Supporting Parents' Employment and Children's Development - Summary |
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From Urban Institute: In this summary, the authors outline a "family security" approach that would help parents fulfill their roles effectively. Among the recommendations are flexible and paid leave policies for working parents, guaranteed child care, and expansion of the Early Head Start program. Parents in low-wage jobs face a double jeopardy: they lack both the time and resources needed to fill their dual roles of worker and parent. In the policy world, employment and child development are often discussed separately.We propose new integrated policies---the "Family Security" approach--- that encourage and support parents' work but also promote the health and development of children. Seven in ten low-income families have at least one working parent.While many families struggle with the right work-family balance, the task is harder for lowincome parents. They have fewer resources to pay for quality child care or social activities, greater vulnerabilities, and less flexibility in their work schedules. Our framework rests on four key child development needs: stability, health, nurturing, and activity. Children need consistent routines and stable housing, but this can be difficult for parents with irregular schedules and unstable incomes. They may work atypical hours that cause them to lose out on time nurturing their children---a critical concern for young kids who need steady parenting.
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