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Characteristics of Successful Employer-Supported Child Care Programs

The National Employer-Supported Child Care Project conducted a survey of various employer-supported child care programs in a variety of industries. An analysis of that survey found that the most successful employer-supported programs shared several characteristics.1

  1. High quality programs.
    Companies report that high quality programs, those with well-educated staff, adequate staff-child ratios, and age-appropriate educational programs have a greater potential to attract and retain workers and to maintain high morale.
  2. Comprehensive programs serving a variety of child care needs.
    Programs that address a wide range of child care needs are more likely to be successful in attracting workers and in reducing turnover and absenteeism. For instance, programs that make child care more affordable, accessible, and available affect the workforce more than those accomplishing only one of those goals.
  3. Programs adequately supported by the company.
    Support by the company takes several forms, including financial contributions and in-kind donations of services, space, or products. In many cases, a higher level of support from the company provides more benefits to parents, improves the quality of programs, and expands the supply of available care.
  4. Programs designed to complement community resources.
    Programs that fill the gaps in community care services, rather than duplicate existing services, offer the greatest benefit to employers.
  5. Programs designed according to employee preference and with employee involvement.
    Tailoring programs to accommodate employee preferences generally improves their utilization. Employee involvement in the planning process often reduces the risk of unrealistic expectations about the scope of the program and enhances its value for labor-management relations.
In the 1998 Business Work-Life Study conducted by the Families and Work Institute, many firms, both small and large in size, reported that they are making substantial investments in child care.
  • Over 80% of employers surveyed allow new parents to return to work gradually after childbirth or adoption.
  • Over two-thirds of firms allow flexibility in the time that employees start and end work; over half allow employees to work at home occasionally.
  • Over half of employers allow employees to move from full-time to part-time work while remaining in the same position or level; over one-third allow job-sharing.
  • Half of employers offer dependent care assistance plans; more than one-third offer child care resource and referral services.
  • One in ten firms offer on-site or near-site care.

1Burand, Sandra, et al., Employer-Supported Child Care: Investing in Human Resources, Auburn House, 1984.


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