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LifeCare Poll Reveals No Before- and After-School Care Plans in Place for 47% of Respondents

Forty-seven percent of employees with children who responded to a LifeCare survey at the start of the school year revealed that they had no arrangements in place for before- and after-school care. The absence of adult supervision outside of school is most prevalent for children in their early teens who, by no coincidence, are the group of youths most vulnerable to injury and crime. To help curb the growing number of home-alone children and reduce the potential for at-risk behavior, injuries and crime, LifeCare proactively educates parents on their before- and after-school child care options.

“Affordable, high-quality child care continues to be the number one concern of working parents—and teen care is just another dimension of this challenging national issue,” says John B. Place, president of LifeCare. Place calls the poll a wake-up call. "Today's working parents need help finding appropriate, safe child care options during the hours when children are out of school.”

This is especially clear when you consider that unintentional injury is the number one killer of children ages 14 and under, according to the National Safe Kids Campaign. And the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics reports that youth ages 12 to 17 are twice as likely as adults to be victims of serious violent crimes.

“These are sobering statistics for today's working parents,” says Place, “particularly for those whose children are beyond the need for traditional child care and yet, in many cases, aren't ready for independence.”

To help parents better understand their options for safe before- and after-school care, LifeCare helps working parents locate a variety of safe, reliable programs, such as those offered by schools, YMCAs, Boys'/Girls' Clubs, religious groups, civic groups, community centers and the like. LifeCare makes it easier for parents to carefully evaluate these options and others—helping older teens find part-time jobs or volunteer work, for example. Whether parents need assistance finding appropriate care arrangements or assessing a child's ability to stay home alone, LifeCare's child are specialists can help them find the best solutions. LifeCare also offers a wealth of printed and online information on teen care options, safety measures, parenting techniques, and more.

Clearly, employees aren't always proactive in making before- and after-school arrangements—which could lead to absenteeism and unplanned time away from their jobs. If you're a LifeCare client, contact your account manager for assistance with promoting before- and after-school care to your employees. If you are not a client and you'd like to learn more about our services, contact LifeCare at 800-873-4636.