Reliance on Early Care and Education During Public Health Crises - A “Necessary Evil” or a Public Good?

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Jake

Examines how the early care and education (ECE) workforce becomes de facto public health labor during contagious-disease emergencies, focusing on the 1918 flu and the COVID-19 pandemic. Uses historical evidence to show that day nurseries and related settings expanded into caregiving, feeding, nursing, and convalescence support for wage-earning families. Argues recurring policy tension: whether child care is treated as a temporary expedient or as a universal public good backed by stable protection for workers.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages40

Reading Time1 h 41 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Learning Our Lessons: Why We Look Back to 1918

What Counts—and Who Doesn’t—in Pandemic Nursery Reporting

Capitalism’s Rise and the Birth of Day Nurseries

The Role of Child Care During the 1918 Flu and COVID-19 Pandemics

Racial Inequities and Black Nurseries During the 1918 Flu Pandemic

Public Recognition, Limited Official Support

Case Study: The Association of Day Nurseries of New York City

Conclusion: Recognizing Child Care as a Universal, Public Good

References

REPORT May 2026 Reliance on Early Care and Education During Public Health Crises A “Necessary Evil” or a Public Good? By Tobi Adejumo and Marcy Whitebook ECHOES (Early Childhood History, Organizing, Ethos, and Strategy) is a project of the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment that explores the history of inequities in early care and education and the roots of teacher activism for a more just system. Center for the Study of Child Care Employment, University of California, Berkeley [https://cscce.berkeley.edu](https://cscce.berkeley.edu) Reliance on Early Care and Education During Public Health Crises A “Necessary Evil” or a Public Good? © 2026 Center for the Study of Child Care of Employment. All rights reserved. This report was generously supported with a grant from the Heising-Simons Foundation. Acknowledgements Thank you to Andrea Hernandez for compiling the Association of Day Nurseries of New York City records and data and to Marisa Schlieber for analyzing the information. Thank you to Claudia Alvarenga for gathering and organizing primary and secondary historical resources, including national newspaper clippings and archival materials. We are also grateful to Peggy Haack, Elena Montoya, Silvia Muñoz, Elizabeth Pufall Jones, Rosemarie Vardell, and Penelope Whitney for their thoughtful feedback and to Leah Gutierrez for their design work on this piece. The views presented herein are those of the authors and may not reflect the views of the study’s funders or those acknowledged for lending their expertise or providing input. Suggested Citation Adejumo, T., & Whitebook, M. (2026) . Reliance on early care and education during public health crises: A “necessary evil” or a public good? Center for the Study of Child Care Employment, University of California, Berkeley. [https://cscce.berkeley.edu/publications/report/necessary-evil-or-public-good](https://cscce.berkeley.edu/publications/report/necessary-evil-or-public-good) Editor: Deborah Meacham Cover Image: A day of immunization against diphtheria at Brightside Day Nursery (Association of Day Nurseries of New York City, Annual Report, 1928) . About the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment The Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE) provides research and analysis on the preparation, working conditions, and compensation of the early care and education workforce. We develop policy solutions and create spaces for teaching, learning, and educator activism. Our vision is a publicly funded early care and education system that secures racial, gender, and economic justice for those whose labor is the linchpin of quality services for working families. In this system, teaching and caring for young children is a good job. Center for the Study of Child Care Employment, University of California, Berkeley [https://cscce.berkeley.edu](https://cscce.berkeley.edu) i Reliance on Early Care and Education During Public Health Crises, May 2026 Table of Contents Introduction 1 Learning Our Lessons: Why We Look Back to 1918 3 What Counts—and Who Doesn’t—in Pandemic Nursery Reporting 6 Capitalism’s Rise and the Birth of Day Nurseries 7 The Role of Child Care During the 1918 Flu and COVID-19 Pandemics 9 Racial Inequities and Black Nurseries During the 1918 Flu Pandemic 12 Public Recognition, Limited Official Support 13 Case Study: The Association of Day Nurseries of New York City 16 Race and Nationality in Day Nursery Records 16 Retrenchment After the Crises: The Contradiction Continues...And Expands 18 Conclusion: Recognizing Child Care as a Universal, Public Good 21 References 23 Appendices 30 Center for the Study of Child Care Employment, University of California, Berkeley [https://cscce.berkeley.edu](https://cscce.berkeley.edu) ii Introduction The predominantly female early care and education (ECE) workforce has long shouldered daily responsibilities for young children’s health and well-being,

FAQs

How did ECE workers’ roles change during public health crises?

The report explains that the predominantly female ECE workforce assumed public-health-like responsibilities, such as monitoring illness, promoting hygiene and nutrition, and managing routine exposure risks. Crises intensified these duties as ECE programs were expected to stay open despite shifting guidance and lagging protections.

What historical periods does the report compare?

The report compares the 1918 flu pandemic with the COVID-19 pandemic, using the 1918 context to illuminate recurring dynamics in how the U.S. manages its dependence on ECE workers and services for public health.

Why does the report frame child care as either a “necessary evil” or a public good?

It describes an unresolved U.S. policy question: whether child care should be treated as part of social and public health infrastructure or treated as a temporary expedient. The report contrasts historical casting of nonparental care in competing terms with ongoing advocacy to strengthen ECE as a universal public good.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Jake