We hit below replacement during the early 1990s, bumped back up again and went down since post GFC.
Why. Why the huge drop post 1980s? Policy or social change or a mix?
But I also would like to discuss the pros and cons of the modern era of child care.
Seems that the era of doing it all on a single wage was a golden era in some regards but negative in others.
Why hasnt maternity leave been enabled to be split between parents?
It seems that today is so much less about the family and all the results are parents being used as nothing more than economic units. High house prices mean dual incomes are required in many cases. Some parents wage is being spent almost entirely on childcare. Subsidising this means those who do not avail of it and would rather spend time with their children now have to compete for housing with those who do. Unintended consequences of bumping up prices and leaving more people with less time with their children.
Is it healthy for children to be in so much structured care from a young age on, with aftercare a huge feature now too.
Should there be limits? Is the rise in children being diagnosed with so many behavioral disorders related? Its a new phenomenon. Or its modern diagnosis.
Is this a great society to create?
The other aspect is to all of this is the institutionalization of old age care too.
Inspiration for the post was seeing this
Some old threads on child benefit reform that may be relevant.