Childcare Isn’t a Family Issue. It’s Economic Infrastructure. After a brief post-pandemic rebound, women’s workforce participation in the United States is falling again. The decline is sharpest among mothers of young children. In many states, childcare now costs more than rent, erasing much of the financial benefit of working at all. Some parents step back from work by choice, but many do so out of necessity. When care is unaffordable or unavailable, families lose income, employers lose talent, and opportunity narrows for everyone.
The Future of Work Begins with Care
- November 5, 2025