Infant day care and infant-care leaves: A policy vacuum.

Current US policy supports neither high-quality infant daycare nor alternatives, such as paid leaves for infant care. Psychologists, on the basis of research showing the importance of quality care for infants, should support measures to protect daycare quality and to help families afford decent care. At the same time, there are compelling child and family health reasons for psychologists to support voluntary, part-paid, 6-mo leaves for infant care. For 4 wks preceding and 6 wks following childbirth, working mothers should be eligible for a fully paid maternity leave. The remainder of the leave would be made available on a part-paid basis to either parent in any combination they chose to facilitate the parent–infant relationship. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)