When you think of a caregiver, the image that might come to mind first is probably a young, maternal woman. But men in growing numbers are taking on childcare responsibilities, both as parents and professional caregivers. 

To honor this Father’s Day, I talked to the men participating in the fight for universal childcare, who are advocating both on behalf of themselves as caregivers, but also for the women and children who have much to gain from a new system. 

Indeed, women disproportionately take on child care roles, making up around 92% of the early childhood care and education sector. And as tradition has it, women still bear the brunt of child-rearing responsibilities at home and would benefit most from a universal child care system. Of those who have missed work due to childcare responsibilities, 90% are women.

 Still – the men I spoke to understood that they hold a stake in ensuring that our children are cared for. They recognize that not only do children need active fathers, but that all parents ought to be free to participate in the labor force. 

Sean Adair, a multimedia specialist based in Indianapolis, became a supporter of the universal childcare movement after his daughter’s daycare teacher, Miss Kelly, invited him to their local Day Without Child Care event in March, an action hosted nationally by Community Change Action. The day of action brings attention to our childcare crisis and advocates to make child care available to every family and pay providers thriving wages with benefits. Sean has lent his media-making skills as a videographer for universal childcare actions. His partner, who recently earned her nursing degree, is a full-time worker at a hospital.

“For active fathers, it is hard juggling.” said Sean, who has been an entrepreneur for the last 20 years. Without family to help care for his daughters, child care is a necessity for his household. 

Decades of feminist movements have afforded women greater opportunities in the general workforce – but that progress isn’t possible to sustain without childcare. And for most parents, they don’t have a choice but to work. What only required a single income to sustain a household decades ago now requires two—a shift brought on by changes in the labor market, increasing costs for childcare, and rising prices. These financial pressures create a more urgent need for childcare providers.

Maceo Rainey, a father and an early childhood educator of 25 years, is a fervent advocate who regularly meets with state and federal policymakers and defends the need for universal childcare. Maceo views his unique position as a male in the childcare sector as vital to filling the role of a father figure that many young boys in his town of Gary, Indiana, lack. 

In light of the importance of role models, Maceo shared, “For children of all races, cultures, ethnicities, to see positive images of men…especially in communities of color… to see a responsible male caregiving that’s loving and nurturing, does a lot for the social, emotional, and psychological development of children.”

 Living in a manufacturing-driven local economy, he sees a direct negative impact upon the lives of workers who lack childcare. Quality of life and access to childcare, “go hand in hand,” and is a “critical part of workforce development,” Maceo said. With many of his students raised in single-parent households, there is an even more urgent demand.

If universal childcare is to work, providers must be given their fair due. Shockingly, as of 2024, 97% of all other jobs and occupations pay more than early childhood providers. For Rainey, this is a critical battleground for childcare policy— he says low wages are “a problem systemically, because early childhood providers provide a critical role to society, which is nurturing the next generation of learners.”

Without the support of our childcare providers, the economy would collapse. Active fathers like Sean and Maceo recognize that their advocacy can transform the lives of parents and children who deserve access to more affordable childcare. This Father’s Day, we thank the men who share the load of childcare in their roles as parents, workers, and advocates for change.