There are many viable options for stimulating the provision of adequate care,including strengthening traditional care in families,establishing programmes of home day care for groups of children. In many cases, existing options are underutilized because they do not provide adequate care, as defined above. This does not mean that there is no need or demand for alternative care. Community-based approached to child care, located in women's groups or other community organizations can provide an excellent service of care, but typically need some form of subsidy to be sustained over time if they are to serve poorer women and families. There is a need to facilitate direct care of children by mothers during the first year of a child's life.
Men are little involved in direct child care or housework.
There is a need to improve and enforce legislation that provides access to child care and regulates policies of maternal and paternal leave. When organizing programmes to improve the productivity, participation and welfare of women, the needs of children must be taken into account . Similarly, when organizing programmes directed toward the development of pre-school children, women's needs must be responded to. It is possible and advisable to build programmes of adequate child care on local experience and capacity, responding to local needs with community based approaches. This cannot be done without a subsidy and in such programmes quality must be guarded.