Preferences of First-Time Expectant Mothers for Care of their Child: ‘I Wouldn't Leave them Somewhere that Made Me Feel Insecure’

Abstract

AUSTRALIA HAS WITNESSED A continual increase in maternal employment over the past two decades, which places focus on both supply of childcare¹ and a demand for high-quality care. This study examined childcare preferences regarding the return to paid work of 124 Australian women who were expecting their first child. In contrast with most studies that have retrospective designs, the design of this study presents the perspectives of women prior to the birth of their first child—that is, before they have made a final decision about child care. This study found that the majority (78 per cent) of the women intended to re-commence work within the 12 months after the birth of their child. There were two factors that were the most salient features in their decision making—the quality of care and the personal satisfaction of engaging in paid work. The findings suggest that family-friendly employment practices and access to secure, high-quality child care are key to women's secure participation in the paid workforce.

‘Childcare’ in this article refers to care in a formal childcare setting. ‘Child care’ refers to care for the child.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2007a). Australian Social Trends. Labour force participation – An international comparison. Retrieved 18 June 2008, from www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Latestproducts/0CBA37179F1B71BACA25732C00207901?opendocument#RECENT%20TRENDS%20IN%20LABOUR%20FORCE%20PAR.

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2007b). Qualifications profile of Australians. Retrieved 3 March 2008, from www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Latestproducts/FFEDA0779C20049DCA25732C00207383?opendocument#Untitled%20Section_1.

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2007c). Household income and income distribution. Retrieved 6 June 2008, from www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Latestproducts/6523.0Main%20Features82005-06?opendocument&tabname=Summary&prodno=6523.0&issue=2005-06&num=&view=.

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2008). Childcare Australia, June, 2005, Second re-issue 2008. Retrieved 19 November 2008, from www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs6.nsf/Latestproducts/4402.0Glossary1Jun%202005%20Second%20Reissue?opendocument&tabname=Notes&prodno=4402.0&issue=Jun%202005%20Second%20Reissue&num=&view=.

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2009). Australian standard classification of occupations. Retrieved 21 July 2009, from www.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/abs@.nsf/Previousproducts/E32817571E32A167CA25697E00185235?opendocument.

Ailwood

, & Boyd

(2007). Undergraduate early childhood education students and their talk about child care. Paper presented at the 8th Pacific Early Childhood Education Research Association (PECERA) Conference: Hong Kong.

Apps

(2007). The new discrimination and child care. In Hill

, Pocock

, & Elliott

(Eds), Kids count: Better early childhood education and care in Australia. Sydney University Press: Sydney.

Australian Government Budget Papers. (2008). Budget: Education Revolution 2008–09. Statement by The Honourable Julia Gillard MP. 13 May 2008. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia.

Barnes

Leach

, Sylva

, Stein

, Malmberg

, & the FCCC team. (2006) Infant care in England: Mothers' aspirations, experiences, satisfaction and caregiver relationships. Early Child Development and Care, 176(5) 553–57.

10.

Baxter

, Gray

, Alexander

, Strazdins

, & Bittman

(2007). Mothers and fathers with young children: Paid employment, caring and wellbeing. Retrieved 22 July 2008, from www.fahcsia.gov.au/about/publicationsarticles/research/socialpolicy/Pages/prps-prps_30.aspx.

11.

Bennett

(2008). Early Childhood Services in OECD Countries: Review of the Literature and Current Policy in Early Childhood Field, Innocenti Working Paper, UNICEF. Retrieved 3 March 2009, from www.unicef-irc.org/cgi-bin/unicef/download_insert.sql?ProductID=502.

12.

Biddulph

(2005). Raising babies. Should under 3s go to nursery? London: Harper Thorsons.

13.

Bourke

(2006). Taskforce on Care Costs Where are we now? 2006 Interim Review. Retrieved 1 April 2008, from www.tocc.org.au/media/Interim_Review_11_August_2006a.pdf.

14.

Bowes

, Wise

, Harrison

, Sanson

, Ungerer

, Watson

, & Simpson

(2003). Continuity of care in the early years? Multiple and changeable child care arrangements in Australia. Family Matters, 64, 30–35.

15.

Brooks-Gunn

, Han

, & Waldfogel

(2002). Maternal employment and child cognitive outcomes in the first three years of life: The NICHD study of early child care. Child Development, 73(4), 1052–1072.

16.

Cannold

(2004). What, no baby? Why women are losing their freedom to mother, and how they can get it back. Fremantle: Fremantle Arts Centre Press.

17.

Centre for Community Child Health. (2006). Policy Brief No 3 2006: Work and family life balance. Retrieved 14 July 2006, from www.rch.org.au/ccch.

18.

Clausen

(2006). Who's minding the kids? Time Magazine, March 13 2006.

19.

Coffey

(2004). Reconceptualising social policy. Berkshire: Open University Press.

20.

Cote

S. M.

, Boivin

, Nagin

, Japel

, Xu

, Zoccolillo

, Junger

, & Tremblay

R. E.

(2007). The role of maternal education and non maternal care services in the prevention of children's aggression problems. Archives of General Psychiatry, 64(11), 1305–1312.

21.

Craig

(2007). Contemporary motherhood: The impact of children on adult time. Aldershop: Burlington.

22.

Cryer

, & Burchinal

(1997). Parents as child care consumers. Early childhood research quarterly, 12, 35–58.

23.

Dearing

, Berry

, & Zaslow

(2006). Poverty during early childhood. In McCartney

K. P.

& Phillips

(Eds), Handbook of Early Childhood Development, Oxford: Blackwell Publishers.

24.

Elgar

, & Chester

(2007). The mental health implications of maternal employment: Working versus at-home mothering identities. Australian e-Journal for the Advancement of Mental Health, 6(1).

25.

Family and Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. (2006). Stronger Families and Communities Strategy (SFCS) 2004–2009. Retrieved 4 January 2008, from www.facs.gov.au/internet/facsinternet.nsf/aboutfacs/programs/sfsc-cfcc_in_home_care.htm.

26.

Goodfellow

(2001). Reframing early education: What do parents value for their children? Retrieved 12 December 2005, from www.aare.edu.au/01pap/go01379.htm.

27.

Harris

(2008). Women's reflections on choosing quality long day care in a regional community. Australian Journal of Early Childhood, 33(3), 42–49.

28.

Harrison

L. J.

(2008). Does child care quality matter? Family Matters, 79, 14–25.

29.

Harrison

L. J.

, & Ungerer

(2002). Maternal employment and infant-mother attachment security at 12 months postpartum. Developmental Psychology, 38(5), 758–773.

30.

Henry

(2008). Towards a tax and transfer system of human scale. Retrieved November 2008, from http://taxreview.treasury.gov.au/content/Content.aspx?doc=html/speeches/01.htm.

31.

Hill

(2007). Budgeting for work-life balance: The ideology and politics of work and family. Australian Bulletin of Labour, 33(2), 226–245.

32.

Kahu

, & Morgan

(2007). Weaving cohesive identities: New Zealand women talk as mothers and workers. Kōtuitui: New Zealand Journal of Social Sciences Online, 2, 55–73.

33.

Maher

J. M.

, & Lindsay

(2005). Conceptual orthodoxies and women's everyday labours: Rethinking the employment of mothers. Retrieved 28 May 2006, from www.unisa.edu.au/hawkeinstitute/publications/downloads/wp31.pdf.

34.

Mahon

(2005). The OECD and the reconciliation agenda: Competing blueprints. Toronto: University of Toronto.

35.

Manne

(2005). Motherhood. Crows Nest: Allen & Unwin.

36.

Murray

, & Cooper

P. J.

(2003). Intergenerational transmission of affective and cognitive processes associated with depression. In Goodyer

I. M.

(Ed.), Unipolar depression: A lifespan perspective. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

37.

National Institute for Child Health and Human Development. (1997). Familial factors associated with characteristics of non maternal care for infants. Journal of Marriage and Family, 59(2), 389–418.

38.

National Institute for Child Health and Human Development. (2004). Type of child care and children's development at 54 months. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 19, 203–230.

39.

National Institute for Child Health and Human Development. (2006). Infant-mother attachment classification: Risk and protection in relation to changing maternal care-giving quality. Developmental Psychology, 42(1), 38–58.

40.

Organisation for Economic and Cooperative Development. (2006). Starting Strong II. Paris: OECD.

41.

Pence

A. R.

, & Goelman

(1987). Silent partners: Parents of children in three types of day care. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 2, 103–118.

42.

Probert

(2002). ‘Grateful slaves’ or ‘Self-made women’: A matter of choice or policy. Australian Feminist Studies, 17(37), 7–17.

43.

Productivity Commission. (2008). Report on government services 2008. Retrieved 1 February 2008, from www.pc.gov.au/annualreports/annualreport0708.

44.

Pungello

E. P.

, & Kurtz-Costes

(1999). Why and how working women choose child care: A review with a focus on infancy. Developmental Review, 19, 31–96.

45.

Pungello

E. P.

, & Kurtz-Costes

(2000). Working women's selection of care for their infants: A prospective study. Family Relations, 49(3), 245–255.

46.

Shpancer

(2006). The effects of daycare: Persistent questions, elusive answers. Early childhood research quarterly, 21, 227–237.

47.

Vincent

, & Ball

S. J.

(2001). A market in love? Choosing preschool childcare. British Educational Research Journal, 27(5), 633–651.

48.

Zimmerman

, & Katon

(2005). Socio-economic status, depression disparities and financial strain. Health Economics, 14, 1197–1215.