Childcare for farm families: A key strategy to keep children safe yet largely absent from farm programming

Abstract

Despite long-standing safety recommendations that non-working children be supervised off the worksite by an adult, little is known about farm families' ability to comply. We conducted a review of 92 documents and 36 key informant interviews in three U.S. states (Ohio, Vermont, and Wisconsin) to assess how farm service providers and farm organizations address the intersection of children and childcare with farm work and farm safety in programming. Through their programming, these two groups deeply influence farm families' social systems, affecting farm safety and farm business decisions. Study design and result interpretations were grounded in the women in agriculture literature, which examines the needs and realities of farm women (often the primary caregivers). Most documents reviewed did not address children, and even fewer addressed childcare. Interviews confirm findings of the document review. Despite awareness that farm families juggle work and children, few interviewees explicitly integrated children and childcare topics due to a messy and complex set of individual- and structural-level factors. We identified four possible, overlapping explanations for this tension: valuation of care vs. farm work; farm programming's traditional emphasis on the farm business; alignment of the programming with the agrarian ideal of the family farm; and the mismatch between farm programming scope, resources available, and childcare challenges. We conclude with two main implications for farm safety programs and farm children safety. First, farm programming's reinforcement of the social and cultural expectations regarding children's involvement in the farm operation from a young age could be counterproductive from a farm safety standpoint and miss an opportunity to provide alternative models of childrearing. Second, the invisibility of the lived realities of raising children may lead farm parents to distrust farm programming and deter them from participating.

“A great life, if you can stand it”: Stress and farm women.

“…System interventions to decrease the demands of farming could help address the stress of women on the farm. Many of our participants reported juggling caring for children, employment, and farming as a part of their stress, and the lack of child care in rural areas is well-documented (F. Becot et al, 2022; Henning-Smith & Kozhimannil, 2016).…”

“…More recent research has examined the invisible labor and stress of women on the farm who bear a disproportionate burden in finding and managing child care. F. Becot et al (2022) found that few programs for young farmers or women in farming consider child care needs, with a clear message that child care work is not seen as real farm work. Traditional gendered roles for child care continue on the farm, along with expanded responsibilities for women, creating increasing stress and familial tension (Rissing et al, 2021).…”

“…More recent research has examined the invisible labor and stress of women on the farm who bear a disproportionate burden in finding and managing child care. F. Becot et al (2022) found that few programs for young farmers or women in farming consider child care needs, with a clear message that child care work is not seen as real farm work.…”

Safeguarding youth from agricultural injury and illness: The United States' experience

“…Another study revealed that parents often refer to “common sense” even when they are not modeling safe behaviors themselves ( 21 ). In contrast, some parents would prefer to keep children away from agricultural work areas, but have few alternatives because of the need to keep the farm operational amidst a lack of affordable and accessible childcare ( 22 , 23 ). Adding to this is the challenge of reaching unique populations that harbor traditional practices and religious views regarding youth on farms, such as Plain communities ( 24 ).…”

Needs assessment survey for enhancing United States child agricultural injury prevention capacity: Brief report

“…So, who and what influences farm parents’ safety practices? The economics of agriculture is a primary driver of decisions and many organizations and corporations influence those economics ( 14 , 15 ). While the relative strength of influence is not known, it is believed that production systems, insurers and bankers are influential ( 16 ).…”