The pandemic makes family-friendly Alaska work environments more important than ever

One of the greatest joys in life, and easily one of the hardest responsibilities, is being a parent. The first time a parent holds their baby, the weight of their entire life is in their hands. It is nearly impossible not to be overwhelmed. From learning how to feed them, to sacrificing sleep schedules, it’s a loving, but challenging relationship, and one that doesn’t come with a manual.

As a community, we should be supporting new parents as they navigate this critical time. One way we can achieve this goal is by implementing supportive policies such as paid parental leave.

While paid parental leave is far from a new concept, the recent repeal of this policy by Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson again elevates the importance of this issue. It’s time to restart the conversation on parental leave, not only at the local level, but statewide and across all public, private and nonprofit sectors.

Paid family leave helps put the child, parents and entire family on a path toward acquiring the knowledge, skills, support and resources needed to thrive. The first three years of life are an essential time of development for babies and families. From birth to age three, a child’s brain undergoes 80% of its development, making infancy a critical time for parental involvement and interaction. Because early relationships nurture early brain connections that form the foundation for all learning and relationships that follow, parents and caregivers are on the front line of preparing our future workers, innovators and citizens.

The overall stress of a newborn in the family, compounded by lack of support systems, is a key trigger that can lead to lack of connection, financial strain, frustration and ultimately the abuse and neglect of a child. Nearly 50% of children who experience child abuse and neglect in Alaska are under the age of five. Shaken baby syndrome in the United States, a leading form of child abuse in children under age two, has been shown to reduce significantly with active paid family leave policies.

Given Alaska is ranked 43rd in the nation for child well-being by the national Kids Count program, we should be looking at every possible solution to help children and families thrive. Paid leave allows new parents to develop into responsive caregivers for their infant, establishing healthy patterns that promote long-term cognitive, social and emotional development. It can also double the rate and duration of breastfeeding, reducing risk of infection, asthma, obesity and sudden infant death syndrome.

One of the core arguments against paid family leave is the potential cost to employers. It’s true, there is an up-front cost, but the long-term cost is far greater. Good beginnings mean reduced expenditures and more time at work. When parents can tend to a child’s early medical needs, infant mortality and the occurrence and length of childhood illnesses are reduced, in turn lowering private and public health costs, as well as the need for working parents to take time away from work.

Time to arrange care also results in greater productivity at work. Paid leave can give parents and other caregivers time to search for quality child care that meets the unique needs of their families, thereby facilitating greater productivity when they return to their jobs after leave.

With paid leave, our future workforce is well-nurtured and better equipped. Positive, consistent relationships during a child’s early years yield confident individuals who are better prepared for success in school and in life, paving the way for a higher quality workforce and strong economic growth.

With the pandemic’s direct and unrelenting impact on families and the continual struggle families face with child care, it is more important than ever to establish family-friendly environments.

Trevor Storrs is president and CEO of the Alaska Children’s Trust, or ACT, the leading statewide agency addressing the prevention of child abuse and neglect.

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