‘If we don’t use this, it’s going to disappear.’ Bright Horizons and the perils of employer-sponsored, profit-driven childcare

By the time Katie returned to work after parental leave, her daughter had started attending a day care close to her apartment. But on days when the day care was closed or she needed childcare coverage, there was a childcare center conveniently located in her office. The center was run by Bright Horizons, one of the largest and best-known childcare providers in the country. Because the center was accessible only to employees of the financial services company where she worked, availability was...