“Not an Option”: How Mothers with Limited Incomes View Barriers to Child Care Use for Infants and Toddlers

Although early care and education offers benefits for child development and supports parental workforce participation, many families with low incomes do not use such care for their young children. The present study explores how mothers with limited financial resources in two metropolitan areas in the US view nonparental care for their infants and toddlers. In addition to common cost barriers, mistrust shapes mothers’ broader decisions about whether to use any child care. Mothers contend with a generalized sense of mistrust in child care settings that is contingent on their child’s development. They anticipate the need to verify the safety of their children and consider their options for doing so. These findings have implications for early childhood policy, including policy aimed at increasing access to child care.