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WORKING MOTHERS
AND
THE NEED FOR
CHILD CARE SERVICES

U.S. Department of Labor
Women's Bureau
May 1967

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
WOMEN'S BUREAU
WASHINGTON. D.C.

20210

WORKING MOTHERS AND THE NEED FOR CHILD CARE SERVICES
There were nearly 27 million working women 14 years of age and
over in the United States in March 1966, l/ and their number is rising
steadily. Among these workers were 9*9 million mothers with children
under 18 years of age- Nearly 2.1 million of these mothers had
children under 3 years aof age; 1.7 million had children 3 to 5 years
of age (none under 3); n d almost 6.1 million had children 6 to 17
years of age (none under 6). Almost 1.5 million (15 percent) of the
working mothers were nonwhite.
The number of working mothers has increased more than sixfold
since 19*K), when there were 1.5 million and has more than doubled since
1950, when there were k.6 million.
The employment of mothers, like the employment of all women, is
expected to continue to rise. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has
conservatively estimated that the number of working mothers 20 to Wyears of age with preschool children will increase to 5*3 million by

1980.

To ascertain how the children of working mothers are cared for,
in February 1965 the Children's Bureau,
U.S. Department of Health,
1
Education, and Welfare, and the Women s Bureau cosponsored a national
survey of the child care arrangements made by these mothers. The survey
was limited to the 6.1 million mothers who worked 27 weeks or more in
1964, either full time or part time, and who had at least one child
under Ik years of age living at home. These mothers had 12.3 million
children under 14 years of a g e — 3 * 8 million, under 6 years; 6.1 million,
6 to 11 years; and 2.k million, 12 and 13 years. The survey disclosed
that nearly half (46 percent) of these children were cared for in their
own homes by their fathers or other relatives, or by babysitters or
housekeepers; 28 percent were cared for by their mothers, who either
worked only during their children's school hours or took care of them
while working; 18 percent were cared for away ftrcm home (only 2 percent
in group care); and 8 percent looked after themselves. Less than 4 percent of the children who looked after themselves were under 6 years of
age, and nearly half were 12 and 13 years of age.
Too many children have care which at best would be classified as
questionable, and all too frequently would be considered completely
inadequate.

l/ This is the latest date for which data are available on the
of workers.


marital status


President Johnson, in a recent message to Congress, stated:
Ignorance, ill health, personality disorder—these
are disabilities often contracted in childhood:
afflictions which linger to cripple the man and
damage the next generation.
Our nation must rid itself of this "bitter inheritance.
Our goal must be clear--to give every child the chance
to fulfill his promise.
To meet this goal the President urged the provision of day care
services for children under 3 years of age; expansion of training
programs for day care counselors, parent advisers, and health visitors;
and expansion of day care and homemaker services in State child welfare
programs.
Child care services should be available to every child who needs
them. Good day care is especially important for younger children whose
mothers must work for economic reasons, and for children who are
economically and culturally deprived, those with physical or mental
handicaps, and those whose mothers are incapacitated.
The following summary statements and charts document the rising
number of working mothers in the United States today and the increasing
need for child care services. It is hoped that they will prove helpful
in the intensified efforts now underway to provide, expand, and improve
day care services throughout the country.




Mary Dublin Keyserling
Director, Women's Bureau

2




More Than 1 Out of 3 Mothers Is a Worker Today
In March 1966 there were nearly 72 million women
age and over in the population.

years of

Of these, almost 28 million had

children under 18 years of age. More than one-third (9.9 million)
of these mothers were in the labor force. They constituted 37
percent of all wcmen workers. Most of these mothers were working
to raise family income above poverty levels or to bring family income closer to standards of modest adequacy, now defined as about
$7,000 a year for an urban family of four.




4

CHART 10.

MORE THAN 1 OUT OF 3 MOTHERS
IS A WORKER TODAY

(LABOR FORCE STATUS OF WOMEN IN THE POPULATION. BY MARITAL STATUS AND
PRESENCE OF CHILDREN UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE, MARCH 1966)
(WOMEN 14 YEARS OF AGE AND OVER)
Millions
of
Women
30

29.3
27.5
Not in Labor Force

25
In Labor Force

20

15

15,0

10

SOURCE: SEE PAGE 2 4



Single

Ever-Married With
No Children Under 18

5

Ever-Married With
Children Under 18

Nearly 3 Out of 5 Mothers Work When a Husband Is Not Present; 1 Out
of 3, When He Is
Of the nearly 28 million mothers with children under 18 years
of age in the population in March 1966, 3 million were raising their
children in fatherless homes or in homes where the husband was absent•
A larger proportion of these mothers (57 percent) worked than when there
was a husband present ( 3 3 percent). For mothers who must bring up
their children alone, the compulsion to work is obviously great.

Their

earnings are not supplementary; they are basic to the maintenance of
their families.

In 35 percent of the two-parent families in which the

mother worked, the husband's income was less than $ 5 , 0 0 0 .
also work because of urgent economic need.




6

These mothers

CHART 10.
NEARLY 3 OUT OF 5 MOTHERS WORK WHEN A HUSBAND IS
NOT PRESENT; 1 OUT OF 3, WHEN HE IS
(LABOR FORCE STATUS OF MOTHERS WITH CHILDREN UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE,
BY PRESENCE OF HUSBAND, MARCH 1966)
(MOTHERS 14 YEARS OF AGE AND OVER)
Millions
of
Mothers
30 i -

SOURCE: SEE PAGE 2 4



Not in Labor Force

In Labor Force

3.0
43%
57%
Husband Not Present

Husband Present

7

More Mothers Work Today Than Ever Before
Nearly 10 million mothers with children under 18 years of
age were workers in March 1966.

This was the highest number ever

recorded and was more than six times the number who were workers
in 19**0 and more than twice the number who were workers in 1950*
Almost 2 out of 5 mothers in the labor force in March 1966
had children under 6 years of age. This is a slightly higher
proportion (39 percent) than in i960 (36 percent) or in 1950
(37 percent).




8

CHART 3.


SOURCE: SEE PAGE 24


MORE MOTHERS WORK TODAY THAN EVER BEFORE
(MOTHERS IN THE LABOR FORCE,BY AGE OF CHILDREN, 1940-66) V
( M O T H E R S 14 YEARS OF AGE AND OVER)
Millions of Mothers
9.9
10 t—

8.0

61%

64%
4.6

Mothers with Children
] 6 to 17 Years Only

63%
139% H

1.5

;36%|
|;37%!

0

1940

1950

* AGES OF CHILDREN NOT AVAILABLE.
J J DATA ARE FOR MARCH OF EACH YEAR.
2J MAY ALSO HAVE OLDER CHILDREN.

1960

1966

Under 6 Years

21

More Than 5 Million Mothers 20 to 44 Years of Age, With Children
Under 5 Years of Age, Will Be Workers in 1980
The number of working mothers with young children is expected
to increase rapidly in the next 15 years. It is conservatively
estimated that by 1980, 5*3 million mothers 20 to

years of age

with children under 5 years of age will "be workers. This will
constitute a. 43 percent increase over the 3 m i l l i o n similar
mothers who are expected to be in the labor force in 1970•




10

CHART 4.
MORE THAN 5 MILLION MOTHERS 20 TO 44 YEARS OF AGE, WITH CHILDREN
UNDER 5 YEARS OF AGE, WILL BE WORKERS IN 1980
(LABOR FORCE STATUS OF MOTHERS 20 TO 44 YEARS OF AGE, WITH CHILDREN UNDER 6 YEARS,
1 9 6 0 - 6 6 , 1 / A N D CHILDREN UNDER 5 YEARS, PROJECTED TO 1980)

Millions
of
Mothers
6

Children Under 5 Years

Children Under 6 Years

U

5.3

4.5

3.3

3.6

3.7

1966

1970

2.8

1960

1963

J J DATA ARE FOR MARCH OF EACH YEAR.
2/

SOURCE,

PROJECTIONS NOT AVAILABLE FOR CHILDREN UNDER 6 YEARS.

SEE PAGE 2 4




1975

1980

Mothers With School-Age Children Are More Likely To Work Than Mothers
With Younger Children
This Has Been True for Many Years
Mothers with children 6 to 17 years of age are more likely to be in
the labor force than mothers with children under 6 years of age. More
than 2 out of 5 (M- percent) mothers (husband present) with children 6
to 17 years of age (none under 6) were workers in March 1966 as compared
with about 1 out of k (2^ percent) mothers (husband present) with children
under 6 years of age. The differential between the labor force participation of mothers with school-age children and those with preschool-age
children has increased since 1950, when the rates were 28 and 12 percent,
respectively.
Among mothers who are widowed, divorced, or separated, the likelihood
of their working is also greater when they have school-age children only
than when they have younger children. In March 1966, 66 percent of these
mothers with children 6 to 17 years of age only were working as compared
with k6 percent of those with children under 6 years of age.
This Is True at All Income Levels
At all income levels, mothers with school-age children show a greater
attachment to the labor force than mothers with younger children.

In

March 1966 labor force participation was highest (50 percent) among mothers
(husband present) with children 6 to 17 years of age when the family income
was between $3,000 and $7,000 a year. It was lowest (12 percent) among
mothers (husband present) with children under 6 years of age when the
family income was $10,000 or more. In a great majority of cases economic
necessity prompts mothers of preschool children to work.
Information is not available on the family income of mothers who are
widowed, divorced, or separated.



12

C H A R T 5.
M O T H E R S W I T H SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN ARE M O R E LIKELY TO W O R K T H A N M O T H E R S W I T H Y O U N G E R CHILDREN
THIS IS TRUE AT ALL INCOME LEVELS

THIS HAS BEEN TRUE FOR MANY YEARS

(LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION OF MOTHERS WITH HUSBAND PRESENT

(LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION OF MOTHERS WITH HUSBAND

BY INCOME OF HUSBAND AND AGE OF CHILDREN, MARCH 1966)

PRESENT BY AGE OF CHILDREN, 1950-66) ^

Percent

Percent
Mothers with Children
6 to 17 Years O n l y
50

50

Under 6 Years &

oO

50

47
44

44
42
40

38

40
33
30 —

32
30

28

30

28
26

24
21

20

20

18

20
15

12

12
10

10

1

0 l-

0 —

SOURCE: SEE PAGE 24.



1950

1954

1958

1962

Year
1 / DATA ARE FOR MARCH OF EACH YEAR. EXCEPT 1954 (APRILS
2/

MAY ALSO HAVE OLDER CHILDREN.

1966

Under
$3,000

$3,000
to
$4,999

$5,000
$7,000
to
to
$6,999
$9,999
Income of Husband

$10,000
and
Over

Less Than 1 Out of 5 Mothers (Husband Present) With Children Under
3 Years of Age Work Year Round Full Time
Of the 3 million mothers (husband present) who had children
under 3 years of age and worked at sometime in 1965, only 17 percent had been employed 35 hours or more a week for 50 to 52 weeks.
The percentage who were year-round full-time workers in 1965 was
considerably higher among mothers (husband present) with children
3 to 5 years of age (27 percent) and mothers (husband present) with
children 6 to 17 years of age (37 percent).




14

CHART 10.
LESS THAN 1 OUT OF 5 MOTHERS (HUSBAND PRESENT) WITH CHILDREN
UNDER 3 YEARS OF AGE WORK YEAR ROUND FULL TIME U
(WORK EXPERIENCE IN 1965 OF MOTHERS WITH HUSBAND
PRESENT BY AGE OF CHILDREN, MARCH 1966)
(MOTHERS 14 YEARS OF AGE AND OVER)
Part-Year Workers (Full-and Part-Time)
Year-Round Full-Time Workers
Percent
100

r

80

63%
60

73%

83%

40

20

SOURCE: SEE PAGE 24



37%
S; 27%
17%

6 to 17 Years
Only
(5.9 Million
Mothers)

3 to 5 Years &
(None Under 3)
(2.0 Million
Mothers)^

IJ 50 TO 52 WEEKS. 35 HOURS OR MORE A WEEK.
2J ESTIMATED .
2J MAY ALSO HAVE OLDER CHILDREN.
15

Under 3 Years &
(3.0 Million
Mothers)

A Greater Proportion of Nonvhite Working Mothers Have Young Children
There were about 1 million nonvhite mothers (husband present)
in the labor force in March 1966. More than half of these mothers
had children under 6 years of age--30 percent had children under 3
years and 22 percent, 3 to 5 years.

In contrast, only 37 percent of

the 7.1 million white mothers (husband present) had children under
6 years of age.




16

CHART 4.
A GREATER PROPORTION OF NONWHITE WORKING MOTHERS HAVE YOUNG CHILDREN
(MOTHERS IN THE LABOR FORCE, WITH HUSBAND PRESENT BY AGE OF CHILDREN AND COLOR MARCH 1966)
(MOTHERS 14 YEARS OF AGE AND OVER)
Percent

100

80

-

Mothers
with
Children

60

6 to 17
Years
Only
40
3 to 5 Years
U
(None Under 3)
20

-

Under 3 Years
0
J j MAY ALSO HAVE OLDER CHILDREN.
SOURCE SEE PAGE 24




Nonwhite
(999,000)

White
(7,136,000)

U

More Than h Million Children Under 6 Years of Age Have Working Mothers
The Children's Bureau of the U.S. Department of Health, Education,
and Welfare has estimated that more than 17 million children under 18
years of age had working mothers in March 1965.

Of these children,

more than one-fourth (4.5 million) were under 6 years of age~2.0
million, under 3 years and 2.5 million, 3 to 5 years. Another 6.k million
V

children, most of whom were in elementary school, were 6 to 11 years of
age.




18

CHART 10.
MORE THAN 4 MILLION CHILDREN UNDER 6 YEARS
OF AGE HAVE WORKING MOTHERS
(NUMBER OF CHILDREN OF WORKING MOTHERS. BY AGE MARCH 1965)
Millions
of
Children
7T

3

6.4

6.4

6 to 11
Years

12 to 17
Years

2.5
2.0

0 I

SOURCE: SEE PAGE 24



tssssssm

Under
3
Years

3 to 5
Years

19

Nearly 2 Million Children Whose Mothers Worked Half a Year or More
in 1964 Lived in Families With Incomes of Less Than $3,000
A special survey of mothers who worked 27 weeks or more in 1964
was made in February 1965. According to the report of this survey
there were nearly 2 million children under 14 years of age living
in families whose annual incomes in 1964 were less than $3,000, despite
the fact that their mothers worked a half year or more.

Nearly 4

million additional children under l4 years of age with working mothers
lived in families whose incomes were between $3*000 and $6,000—still
below the modest but adequate income level for an urban family of four.




20

CHART 10.
NEARLY 2 MILLION CHILDREN WHOSE MOTHERS WORKED HALF A
YEAR OR MORE IN 1964 LIVED IN FAMILIES WITH INCOMES OF LESS
THAN $3,000
(NUMBER OF CHILDREN OF MOTHERS WHO WORKED 27 WEEKS OR MORE IN 1964.
BY FAMILY INCOME IN 1964 AND AGE OF CHILDREN. FEBRUARY 1965)

Millions
of
Children

Children
5

SOURCE: SEE PAGE 24



6 to 14 Years
4.5
Under 6 Years

3.9

697c

677c

21
1.9

747c
67%

8 3 3 %%
8 337c 8

Under
$3,000

$6,000

$3,000
to
$5,999

to
$9,999

FAMILY INCOME
21

$10,000

and
Over

Too Many Children of Working Mothers Lack Good Child Care Services
The child care arrangements of mothers who worked 27 weeks or
more in 1964 were surveyed in February 1965.
million children under l4 years of age.

These mothers had 1 2 . 3

Of these children, 46 per-

cent were cared for at home by a father, brother, sister, other
relative, or by someone hired to look after them in the home.

Another

28 percent were looked after by the mother either while she was working or she worked only during their school hours. About 18 percent
were cared for away from home, with only 2 percent in group care
centers.

The remaining 8 percent looked after themselves.

few of the younger children lacked any care.

However,

Less than 4 percent of

the children who looked after themselves were under 6 years of age.




22

CHART 10.

TOO MANY CHILDREN OF WORKING MOTHERS
LACK GOOD CHILD CARE SERVICES
(CHILD CARE ARRANGEMENTS OF WORKING MOTHERS, FEBRUARY 1965)

SOURCE: SEE PAGE 2 4



23

Chart Sources

Chart 1 .

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics:
Monthly Labor Review, April 1967.

Chart 2.

Ibid.

Chart 3.

U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census: Current
Population Reports, P-50, No. 29 for March 1950; U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics: Special Labor
Force Report No. 13 for March i960 and Monthly Labor Review,
April 1967 for March 1966; and Women's Bureau, "Women as
Workers, A Statistical Guide" for March 19^0.

Chart 4 .

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics:
Special Labor Force Report No. 49 for March i960,
March 1963, and for Projections to 1980; and Monthly
Labor Review, April 1967 for March 1966.

Chart

U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census:
Current Population Reports, P-50, No. 29 for March
1950, No. 62 for April 195^, and No. 87 for March 1958;
U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics:
Special Labor Force Report No. 26 for March 1962 and
Monthly Labor Review, April 1967 for March 1966.

Chart 60

Same as Chart 1 .

Chart 7-

Ibid.

Chart 8 .

U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Welfare
Administration, Children's Bureau. Unpublished data.

Chart 9.

U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Welfare
Administration, Children's Bureau; and U.S. Department
of Labor, Women's Bureau:11 "Child Care Arrangements of the
Nation's Working Mothers.
1965.
Ibid.

Chart 10*




Labor D.C. (WB 67-298)
24