On childcare as a support for maternal employment wages and hours

Data from the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development, a stratified random sample of 1,364 children and their families from birth through first grade, were used to examine whether mothers' use of early childcare for their children predicted later maternal employment. Children's total number of hours in childcare was associated with higher maternal wages and more hours of employment when children were in first grade. The association between maternal hourly wages and hours in childcare was greater for mothers who were more educated. In addition, the effect of hours in childcare on employment hours was greater for non-poor mothers.