This is the fifth report that uses the Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) longitudinal survey data to explore how the inability to access affordable childcare affects the long run labour market outcomes of mothers.
This report investigates the relationship between issues with access to childcare in the child’s first two years and mothers’ paid work when the child is nearly school-aged.
- Thirteen percent of GUiNZ mothers report at either 9 months or 2 years that their child is not in childcare because of access issues; this rises to 16% of Māori mothers and 21% of Pasifika mothers.
- The study suggests mothers with a weak work history due to childcare access issues when their child is young have more trouble securing a high-skilled job later on.
- The labour force participation rate could increase by removing childcare access issues - at 54 months by between 0 and 2 percentage points overall, between 0 and 3 percentage points for Māori mothers, and between 0 and 4.5 percentage points for Pasifika mothers.
- Māori and Pasifika mothers are disproportionately affected by access issues and their long term work costs. This is concerning because the decreases in income that result may substantially reduce the material wellbeing of their affected families.