Maternal Employment and Child Day Care

Abstract

The number of mothers, particularly those with young children, entering the labor force is increasing each year. Human development researchers, public policy decision makers, and taxpayers are justifiably concerned with the potential effects of maternal employment and the relative success or failure of various child-care environments. As maternal employment increases and utilization of out-of-home child-care services continues to expand, a thorough understanding of the long-term cognitive and psychosocial consequences to the child is crucial. The Danish sample presents an opportunity to describe common maternal work and child-care patterns and to determine their association with subsequent child and adolescent development.