Labour force participation rate among women whose youngest child is under age 6, Canada, 1976 to 2016
*The participation rate is the number of labour force participants expressed as a percentage of the population 15 years of age and over. The participation rate for a particular group (age, sex, marital status, etc.) is the number of labour force participants in that group expressed as a percentage of the population for that group. Estimates are percentages, rounded to the nearest tenth.
Source: CICH graphic created using data adapted from Statistics Canada Table 282-0211 Labour force survey estimates (LFS), by family type and family age composition, annual. http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/cansim/a26?lang=eng&id=2820211 – accessed July 15, 2017
The vast majority of women whose youngest child is under 6 are in the labour force.
In 2016, 73.3% of women whose youngest child was under 6 were in the labour force. This rate has doubled since 1976 when it was 35.6.
The rate rose most sharply between 1976 and 1991, then it increased at a slower rate until 2010 – after that it has leveled off.
Implications
The majority of women with children under age 6 are in the workforce. That means that the majority of families of young children have to balance the needs of their children with the demands of their jobs. Workplace policies that support families are an important component of any plan to improve the health and well-being of children.