Care for very young children and the employment of mothers in Kazakhstan

The presence of children under three years old is strongly associated with women being out of the labor market. As Kazakhstan supports women’s economic independence, will expanding care increase employment for these caregivers? We review care policies, focusing particularly on concerns about quality. Using a survey of 500 respondents with children under three years old, we explore caregiver employment and preferences for care for children of this age, as well as the link between quality concerns and mothers’ willingness to enroll children and take up work. A regression model identifies a link between concern for quality and this willingness, highlighting the need for policy refinements.