Mother’s Day was yesterday, but moms don’t get days off. Especially if you’re a working mom with children under 6.
This map comes via the Humphrey School of Public Affairs’ Center on Women, Gender, and Public Policy and the American Community Survey. It shows that some of Minnesota’s most rural counties have the highest percentages of working mothers with young children. The Humphrey School’s report identifies acute need for rural Minnesota workers to have access to paid family leave.
The focus on children under age 6 is, in part, because these children typically require full-day care or preschool programs. The nature of childcare changes for school-age children, although the challenges of school start/end times and before- and after-care are their own special challenge for parents depending on location, busing and other factors.
The percentages in much of the state reflect similar trends as seen nationally. In general, women are more likely to leave the workforce to become caregivers than men due to a variety of social and economic contributors.
The current state agenda looks at ways to make childcare more accessible and affordable. Most economists think that providing greater access to care and paid family leave will have excellent impact on economic growth and social equality, as well as positive impacts on early childhood development.