Abstract
Formal childcare has been in crisis since its inception. Attempts at regulation and uniformity have been inadequate and culturally insensitive. Seen as a women’s issue, it is rarely at the forefront of policy. The topic has recently gripped the national stage due to the ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic on the childcare industry and its effect on the middle class. While white families who struggle for childcare are currently receiving more attention, Black women and other women of color have been unsupported by the industry. The inadequacy of childcare in the United States upholds racism and sexism. The intersectionality of gender, race, and socioeconomic status plays a large part in the inequitable experiences for Black and Brown children and childcare workers in the United States. The lack of progress in this arena has stifled generations of children, given that research shows quality early childhood education is an optimal vehicle for upward mobility and is correlated with more stable and prosperous adulthoods.
Highlights
JULIANA PINTO MCKEENFormal childcare in the United States has been in crisis since its inception. Maternal employment is heavily moralized, affecting the way that childcare is prioritized
Formal childcare has been in crisis since its inception
The industry has been in crisis because the United States has not definitively decided whether or not white mothers should work outside the home
Summary
Formal childcare in the United States has been in crisis since its inception. Maternal employment is heavily moralized, affecting the way that childcare is prioritized. After Black Americans were freed, Black mothers continued to work outside the home, often raising white children. Because they were working and could not rear their own children, they leaned on community care for their children. Black families were denied the generational wealth owed to them because of slavery and institutional racism This racism is clear in instances where Black mothers were widowed and not afforded the same benefits under federal policy as white women. Prior to childcare becoming regulated, and continuing to the present day, fictive kin care was often the only available option for Black families, families of color, and other low-income groups who relied on the financial support of maternal employment. By centering the needs and experiences of Black women and their children, the United States has an opportunity to create impactful childcare policies that benefit all
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