DATA AND CHARTS DOCUMENT THE RISING NUMBER OF WORKING MOTHERS IN THE UNITED STATES TODAY AND THE INCREASING NEED FOR CHILD CARE SERVICES. DATA WERE OBTAINED FROM U.S. DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, COMMERCE, AND HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE. NEARLY 10 MILLION MOTHERS WITH CHILDREN UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE WERE WORKERS IN MARCH 1966. MORE THAN ONE OF THREE MOTHERS WAS A WORKER IN MAY 1967. IT IS CONSERVATIVELY ESTIMATED THAT BY 1980, 5.3 MILLION MOTHERS 20 TO 44 YEARS OF AGE WITH CHILDREN UNDER 5 YEARS OF AGE WILL BE WORKERS -- A 43 PERCENT INCREASE OVER 1970. MORE THAN 17 MILLION CHILDREN UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE HAD WORKING MOTHERS IN MARCH 1965. OF THESE CHILDREN, 4.5 MILLION WERE UNDER SIX YEARS OF AGE. IN FEBRUARY 1965, A NATIONAL SURVEY OF 6.1 MILLION MOTHERS WHO WORKED 27 WEEKS OR MORE IN 1964 WAS MADE TO ASCERTAIN HOW THE CHILDREN OF WORKING MOTHERS WERE CARED FOR. FINDINGS WERE (1) NEARLY HALF WERE CARED FOR IN THEIR OWN HOMES BY THEIR FATHERS, OTHER RELATIVES, BABYSITTERS, OR HOUSEKEEPERS, (2) 28 PERCENT WERE CARED FOR BY THEIR MOTHERS WHO EITHER WORKED ONLY DURING THEIR CHILDREN'S SCHOOL HOURS OR TOOK CARE OF THEM WHILE WORKING, (3) 18 PERCENT WERE CARED FOR AWAY FROM HOME, AND (4) 8 PERCENT LOOKED AFTER THEMSELVES. TOO MANY CHILDREN HAD EITHER QUESTIONABLE OR COMPLETELY INADEQUATE CARE. (PS)