Fact Sheet on Childcare and Maternal Mental Health
By Cindy Herrick, MA, PMH-C, CPSS
The Policy Center released a Fact Sheet on Childcare and Maternal Mental Health this week. This fact sheet highlights current barriers to childcare access and how these barriers impact maternal mental health.
A good support system is vital during the postpartum period and has been shown to decrease the risk for maternal mental health disorders and increase general maternal wellness. A crucial part of the postpartum support system includes having access to affordable childcare. Childcare access for infants is especially important in the United States (U.S.) because there is currently no mandatory paid maternity leave in the U.S., which increases the need for accessible non-parental childcare.
However, childcare is hard to come by, and there are multiple barriers to childcare access in the U.S. There are also disparities that exist for certain minority populations.
The Policy Center is committed to elevating the research, policy, and programmatic work necessary to address the stressors mothers and families face to reduce the likelihood of maternal mental health disorders.