Psychological Well-being and Family Functioning
Parents described the relief of having access to affordable and reliable child care and how it improved their mental health. During the focus groups, nearly every parent described how the ACCM Pilot Program reduced their stress. Parents explained that their stress was reduced for two key reasons—because the program improved their financial stability and because it removed the constant burden of arranging care. These parents described feeling a sense of relief, equilibrium, and stability now that they could afford child care and consistently work without relying on family members. “I’ve seen a decrease in my anxiety because I know where the help is coming from. It’s a big stressor off of your life. My anxiety has come down 100%.”- Participant from parent focus group For some families, the positive impacts on mental health extended to their children and older relatives . For instance, several parents described how they relied on family members (often older relatives) to provide child care prior to participating in the ACCM Pilot Program. Having these children enrolled in regulated care through the ACCM Pilot Program relieved stress for these family members who were often juggling many responsibilities. Other parents felt that their children’s mental health had improved. They noted that their child care had become more predictable, allowing their children to spend time with other children on a consistent schedule. “Since my mom watched my daughter, it also gave her a break because she was stressed because not only was she taking care of my kids, she was taking care of my grandma and also my sister who has a disability.” - Participant from parent focus group The positive impacts on mental health were especially pronounced for single mothers. Many single mothers discussed how they did not have other sources of financial support or a partner who could provide child care. Some had recently gotten out of abusive relationships. For these mothers, having access to child care was paramount—or, as one mother called it, “a godsend.” Access to child care meant they could work and provide for their children. This significantly reduced their stress and instilled a sense of empowerment. These findings are particularly noteworthy, given that at least half of the families who participated in the ACCM Pilot Program lived in single parent households. “As a single parent, it’s even much more of a burden so you know, getting in the [ACCM Pilot] program, I definitely felt obviously less stressed out, but there was also this sense of empowerment… I’m still able to manage my own payments. I had a lot less stress… my anxiety definitely decreased knowing that I didn’t have to rely on others.” - Participant from parent focus group Despite the many benefits, some parents felt anxiety around the affordability of child care in the future. Parents frequently expressed feeling uncertain about whether they would be able to afford child care in the future. Several parents were nervous about what the future without child care support might look like. In many cases, they described the possibility that they would return to the unstable arrangements
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