Child Care for Parents Working 9 (at Night) to 5 (in the Morning)

Many parents take whatever work they can find, no matter what the hours, particularly in today’s economy. As a result, a significant proportion of parents—especially parents in low-wage jobs—are now working evening, night, and weekend hours. These parents need reliable care for their children during these hours, but this is typically hard to find. However, there are some signs that the market may be starting to respond to this growing need, with an increasing number of centers operating during nontraditional hours, according to an article this week in the New York Times.

The article describes the juggling act that a number of parents must do as they try to keep their jobs—as waitresses, cooks, and nursing home employees and doing other work involving late-night and early-morning hours. They have some misgivings about having their children cared for out of the home overnight, but are reassured when they find child care centers or other arrangements providing reliable, good-quality care during nontraditional hours.

Despite some progress, child care during evenings, nights, and weekends remains scarce in many communities, and parents working during these hours may find obstacles to receiving child care assistance. As more parents work nontraditional hours, it is important that states tailor their child care assistance policies to the needs of these parents and encourage a further expansion in the supply of care that is available when parents need it. States should provide reimbursement for a sufficient number of hours of care for those parents receiving child care assistance who work extended hours. Policies should be flexible enough to allow parents to hold onto a slot in a child care program even if their hours vary from week to week, and to maintain their eligibility for child care assistance without having to constantly report on weekly changes in their work hours. States should provide incentives for child care providers to offer care during nontraditional hours, and support training to address any issues specific to providing care overnight. States should also support care provided by relatives and family child care providers, who may be most likely to offer flexibility for parents with nontraditional work hours.

As nontraditional work schedules become more common, it is essential that parents have the support they need to keep their jobs, secure in the knowledge that their children—during the daytime, nighttime, or anytime—are in a safe, nurturing environment.