Employment Change Among Married Parents of Children With Special Health Care Needs

What is it about?

This article uses data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey to examine the specifics of changes in parental work status and a comparison of family/work trade-offs made by parents in families with and without a CSHCN. Results indicate that mothers are more likely to experience negative work changes than fathers. Both mothers and fathers with CSHCN are more likely to report missing work than parents of children without special health care needs. Overall, when children receive treatment in a primary care practice that serves as a medical home, parents are less likely to experience negative employment changes.

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Why is it important?

It is important for employers and policy makers to understand the caregiving demands that parents face when a child has a special health care need. How can these families be supported through employment and public policy that will allow them to balance the dual demands of work and caregiving. Policies such as paid sick leave and paid family medical leave would keep parents from giving up employment all together when a child has special health care needs. Ultimately these policy changes may be less expensive than supporting these same families when their family finances deteriorate from work hour reduction.