Child Care as a Workforce Strategy: The Employer's Role in Driving Access

Access to high-quality early care and education yields significant short-term and long-term benefits for children and families. These opportunities also have a profound impact on employers. To attract a sustainable talent pool that meets workforce demands, employers across the country are recognizing that they can play an active stakeholder role as it relates to employee child care supports.

The pandemic further highlighted the important role that child care plays as employers and working families sought to recover from the devastating economic impacts. The creation of a public-private partnership approach in addressing workplace demand is one strategy. In fact, employers are contributing to innovative thinking about how to build supports for employees, including child care. 

By attending, you will learn:

  • What do working parents need for economic success and what do employers need for effective productivity? Are these goals mutually exclusive?
  • Should employers help meet the demands of working families to access and secure affordable child care?
  • What options exist for employers to provide locally-based child care supports?
  • How can we increase and strengthen partnerships between the business community, working families, and child care programs?
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Emily Laidlaw Tom Raffio Arthur J. Rolnick Cindy Cisneros David K. Young
Child Care as a Workforce Strategy: The Employer's Role in Driving Access
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CED POLICY WATCH

Child Care as a Workforce Strategy: The Employer's Role in Driving Access

AUGUST 21, 2025

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Access to high-quality early care and education yields significant short-term and long-term benefits for children and families. These opportunities also have a profound impact on employers. To attract a sustainable talent pool that meets workforce demands, employers across the country are recognizing that they can play an active stakeholder role as it relates to employee child care supports.

The pandemic further highlighted the important role that child care plays as employers and working families sought to recover from the devastating economic impacts. The creation of a public-private partnership approach in addressing workplace demand is one strategy. In fact, employers are contributing to innovative thinking about how to build supports for employees, including child care. 

By attending, you will learn:

  • What do working parents need for economic success and what do employers need for effective productivity? Are these goals mutually exclusive?
  • Should employers help meet the demands of working families to access and secure affordable child care?
  • What options exist for employers to provide locally-based child care supports?
  • How can we increase and strengthen partnerships between the business community, working families, and child care programs?

Speakers

Emily Laidlaw

Emily Laidlaw

Deputy Director for Early Education
Michigan Department of Lifelon…

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Tom Raffio

Tom Raffio

President and CEO
Northeast Delta Dental; CED Tr…

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Arthur J. Rolnick

Arthur J. Rolnick

Adjunct Professor of Economics
University of Minnesota

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Cindy Cisneros

Cindy Cisneros

Former Vice President of Education Programs
Committee for Economic Develop…

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David K. Young

David K. Young (Moderator)

President
Committee for Economic Develop…

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Policy Watch explores relevant topics where business meets US domestic policy. Join experts at the Committee for Economic Development of The Conference Board and prominent policy makers as they dissect the impact of timely decisions from the nation's capital.

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