Aligning Work and Care in a 24/7 Economy: The Childcare Arrangements of Low-Income Families Working Nontraditional Hours

Given changing employment conditions and childcare policy investments since Making Ends Meet, Kathryn Edin and Laura Lein’s 1997 book, this study explores the childcare arrangements of low-income parents of young children working nontraditional hours and unpredictable work schedules. Using a 2019 nationally representative sample of low-income parents with young children, we analyze nontraditional hour (NTH) childcare usage patterns by family structure, race and ethnicity, and immigration status. Our findings show that fewer than half of the children use NTH childcare, with unpaid family care being the most common arrangement. Family structure significantly influences NTH childcare utilization, and care patterns by race and ethnicity align with those seen in daytime care. Additionally, we found that childcare subsidy use is low overall among parents working NTH; but subsidy generosity is associated with higher rates of NTH paid family childcare. These results underscore the need to expand childcare options during nontraditional hours and increase access to subsidized NTH care for families with low incomes.