The Demand for Pre-School Care: an Aspect of the Problems of the Nigerian Working Mother

Abstract

One of the changes brought about by the increasing employment of women outside the home is the demand for both custodial and developmental care for their pre-school age children ¹. The demand situation for extra-maternal child care in Nigeria seems to be aggravated by the gradual erosion of the traditional resources for extramaternal childcare such as the community of friends and relations, hired nursemaids and servants, and the inadequate provision of extrafamilial institutions such as nurseries and daycare centres. Rather than quantify the demand for extramaternal care for children, this study assesses the childcare arrangements of working mothers and inquires into the existing resources for meeting this demand both within and outside the household. It is concluded that demand for extramaternal childcare of both custodial and developmental nature is not fulfilled by existing resources.

Therefore, it is being suggested that an inventory of existing pre-school institutions such as nurseries and daycare centres, programmes for the improvement and expansion of these facilities would facilitate the participation of women in the labour force and their effective contribution to social and economic development.