Solutions

Local, state, and federal policies can support the care movement. Sign a petition for the extension of the Child Care Stabilization program, follow current legislative initiatives to support care, support a campaign, or understand previous policies enacted for child care.

Advocates are fighting for the inclusion of domestic work in policies across the country to protect & enhance the rights of domestic workers. There are opportunities to sign petitions, vote, & call your representatives to mobilize our collective power for the care economy.

When emergencies arise with children, parents might need to step out of the workforce. Companies can provide support to help workers when things fall through.

Join a business community to share knowledge, work alongside other leaders, and work to standardize best practices for employers.

Leaders in the care economy are working to build compelling, informative, and thought-provoking campaigns that showcase the realities of childcare work, how to access benefits, and where to go for support.

Child care unionization to organize collective bargaining agreements to benefit the care workforce as a whole is gaining momentum. This approach, called 'sectoral bargaining,' has the power to make sweeping changes for large numbers of care workers and providers.

Apply for CDCTC funding to help pay for eligible care costs since both parents are employed. Credits can range in qualifying amounts, maxing out at $6,000.

Offer DCFSA to support working parents with caregiving costs. These accounts allow caregivers to use pre-tax dollars to pay for care, saving up to 30% on services.

Provide a clear, digestible playbook for families in your geographic regions to find & access care options, highlighting centers, family-based care, nonprofits, faith-based organizations, & Head Start/Early Head start programs. A Care Advocate can be an internal or external contact who helps employees navigate the care landscape and approach the company's benefits.

Set goals for representation by gender & race, clearly showing role & location breakdown with a specific target for diversity in leadership positions.

Survey employees to understand the most pressing needs of working parents to inform your benefits strategies. Invest in education of managers, employees, & leadership to understand the most-needed benefits at your company, create a roadmap for realistic implementation, & broadcast awareness of initiatives to promote uptake.

Provide sustainable salaries that factor in cost-of-living and the ability for employed parents to raise a family and pay for childcare supports. This ultimately propels parents in the workforce and can boost the economy.

There's a variety of innovators in the care space who are piloting new ways to support the care economy. Some examples to learn more about: The Mom Project, Holding Co., Mother Honestly, NDWA, Moms First, The Early Childhood and Business Advisory Council, Instant Teams, & more.

Ample time-off, like guaranteed sick & vacation days, flexible & predictable scheduling, & emergency days off or PTO for caregiving can all support workers in their ability to maintain their jobs.

Proximity to an issue helps people understand the realities & barriers others face. National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) has resources to better understand the stories of workers.

Managers & hiring representatives have a direct influence on how the workplace responds & celebrates parenthood. Provide training on parental benefits, de-penalizing caregiving or gaps on resumes, highlight skills acquired through caregiving, & train responses to parental needs.

Joining a mentorship or sponsorship program for parents can help propel them forward in their roles, connect them to other parents, & match them with promotion opportunities.

Offering on-site can support the retention, promotion, & inclusion of parents in the workforce. Employers can recoup hard costs through the Employer-Provided Childcare Credit.

The US lags behind in providing paid parental leave so some companies have stepping into ehance their policies to support new parents. The Skimm & Moms First created an initiative to crowd-source the parental leave & child care policies that companies provide.

Private funding or direct cash to support the childcare economy can enhance the quality, availability, and affordability of childcare. Organizations, like The Raising Child Care Fund, pool funding to make grants to the early childhood education system.

Small businesses or those just beginning to invest in parents can pool resources to contract with a childcare agency for affordable, quality care–similar to the model established by larger companies, such as SAS and Bank of America with Bright Horizons, and similar to health insurance pools for small businesses.

As parents transition out of full-time care work & into the workforce, returnship programs are great ways to upskill parents & match them with quality roles.

Many governments try to lighten the financial burden on care providers through subsidies. Funds might be used to lower costs for low-income families, pay expenses during holidays or breaks, or compensate for absences.

Governments can provide investments to subsidize salaries for childcare to remain competitive & retain the infrastructure of the care economy. The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) supported childcare workers on a federal level through the Child Care Stabilization program. There are programs on a state & local level that can boost salaries to retain workers & maintain availability of services for families.

Companies can make the transition back into the workplace easier for parents by providing a range of supports, like flexible schedules, lactation rooms, predictable shifts, working hours during care hours, & more. It's best for companies to understand the needs of their unique workforce.