Calls for More Flexibility and Better Childcare Options for America’s Working Families
WASHINGTON, D.C. – According to Census data in 2024, 91% of American families with children had at least one employed parent. In nearly two out of three families with children under age six, both parents were working—highlighting the growing need for policies that support working parents.
In recognition of National Working Parents Day, Independent Women issued the following statement:
Patrice Onwuka, director of Independent Women’s Center for Economic Opportunity, said:
“The best way to celebrate working parents is to increase their options for flexible work and access to affordable child care. Balancing school schedules, day care, and holidays with employment can be challenging and even overwhelming. For young adults caring also for aging parents, the demands on their time may not fit a traditional 9-to-5 job.
“Workers and professionals find great flexibility through self-employment, freelancing, and gig work. Some 85% of all voters and 84% of women agree that independent contracting is a good option for people seeking flexible jobs. Federal and state policymakers should protect independent contracting by rejecting efforts to reclassify independent workers as employees and codifying clear employment standards that make it easier to retain independent status.
“For parents who prefer to work in traditional employment, childcare options can be costly. Federal childcare subsidies are the wrong solution because they crowd out formal day care over other preferred options, such as family or home-based childcare options. To cut the costs of child care, policymakers should reduce unnecessary regulations that do not impact the quality of care. Smart reforms could reduce costs by up to $1,800 per child.”
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