Part-Time Work and Child Care Choices for Mothers of Preschool Children

The AA. examine joint choices of level of employment and child care arrangement using a sample of mothers of preschool children from the National Survey of Families and Households. Including part-time employment in the choice model is important because nearly 40 % of mothers of preschool children combine employment and caregiving by working part-time. Results suggest a unique combination of factors affecting the choice of part-time employment combined with care by a parent or relative. Mothers employed part-time and using nonmarket care are more likely to be white, married, Catholic, and in a service or sales occupation with a variable schedule. Very few African-American mothers are employed part-time. Implication are discussed.