How Americans Feel about Child Care

The rise in single-parent families, increased job opportunities for women, and the need for additional family income have all propelled an increasing number of mothers of young children into the paid labor force. Who then takes care of these children has become an issue of concern for many working parents in the United States.

To find out how Americans feel about the issue of child care, go to the Public Agenda Online web site (http://www.publicagenda.org). Under "The Issues" on the left hand side, click on Child Care, then Framing the Debate, and then scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on The Perspectives in Brief.

1. Read and summarize each perspective. Which perspective do you think presents the strongest argument and why?

Click on your web browser's Back button and from the left-hand side click on Fact File, then Family Demographics by State. Find your home state.

2. What percent of children under six have working parents?
3. What percent of children under age 13 in your home state live in low-income families?

Now click your Back button and from the left-hand side click on Quick Takes, then go to Responsibility, click on the first graph, and answer the following questions:

4. Who do most parents and the public think should be responsible for access to child care?
5. What percent of respondents think that families should be primarily responsible fore ensuring that families have access to child care?
6. Were you surprised at these findings? Why or why not?
7. Who do you think should be responsible for making sure that working families have child care for their children: employers, parents, or the government? Why?