Day care and female employment in Mexico: descriptive evidence and policy considerations

Abstract

This paper analyzes the supply and organzation of public day carc in Mexico and presents a series of considerations as to the formulation of future policy. The research concentrates on the evaluation of public policies to provide day care to working women in the formal sector through the Mexican Social Security Institute. Data on the evolution of female labor force participation, changes in family structure, the supply of day care and patterns of child care arrangements, suggest that access to formal facilities fall short of demand. The current policy environment in Mexican social security is one of reform. Innovative policies for the reorganization and expansion of the provision of day care are presently under consideration. This environment, coupled with rapid changes in the needs of Mexican women and families, suggest a situation propitious to a rethinking of day care policy. This reevaluation should be undertaken both at the leve lof the overall goals of day care as a social or anti-poverty as compared to an employment policy, as well as at the leve lof the organization of current programs.