Who is minding the kids? Preferences, choices and childcare arrangements of working mothers in India

Women's employment outside the home in developing countries has been increasing steadily over last several decades leading to unprecedented changes in family organisation including decline in family size and extended/joint family structures, which have implications for childcare needs of working mothers. However, the inter-connections between these changes, i.e., women's work, childcare arrangements and wellbeing have remained rather unexplored in the developing world. This paper is an attempt in this direction and examines the childcare arrangements, preferences and the decision-making process of working mothers of children aged 0-36 months of age in India, a country undergoing rapid modernization, urbanization and accompanying social change.