Child care and employment turnover

This paper explores how the responsibility of caring for children affects employment stability by studying the relationship between the characteristics and stability of substitute caregivers and the risk of leaving of job. The data come from the 1990 National Child Care Survey (NCCS), a nationally representative survey of households with children under age 13 conducted in late 1989 and early 1990, and A Profile of Child Care Settings (PCS), a nationally representative survey of center-based programs and licensed family day care homes in the U.S,, conducted at the same time and in the same 144 counties. The results show that the availability of care affects the job stability of all employed mothers. Other effects differ by maternal wage. The cost of care affects the employment exits of moderate-wage mothers (who earn $6 to $8 per hour), the stability of care affects the employment exits of moderate- and high-wage mothers, and the flexibility of care affects the employment exits of low-wage mothers. These results are discussed in the context of current public policies.