Saving Childcare: The Essential Value of a Worker-Owned Childcare Ecosystem

Childcare co-ops put some of society’s most important essential workers in charge of their futures. As businesses owned and governed by members instead of by sole proprietors or stockholders, worker co-ops are driven by member values rather than profit alone. Worker-members share in the profits, participate in oversight and, often, management of the business, using democratic principles.

Because worker-owned co-ops function differently from other businesses, they build equity and ownership for care workers, who have been historically marginalized in an extractive economy. It is vital that workers taking care of young children have a greater voice in their businesses. Money alone does not affirm the dignity of this work. Voice, power, and participation, along with money, do.