Child care was historically viewed as a means to an end. It was about finding someone to care for young children while mum worked or did other things. Of course, this is probably the world’s actual earliest profession, having existed in some form or another since the dawn of time. In the days of communal living, there were veritable armies of aunties and cousins and friends and sisters and older siblings who would hold bub while mum sneakily managed some much needed me-time. (Probably by claiming she was berry picking or hunting wild boar while actually getting a well-deserved waterfall massage). As we have evolved, so too has childcare, and the debate has spiraled into arguments about subsidies and numbers and blame.

In our Making The Case series Future Women provides the facts, figures and foundations you need to mount complex gender equity arguments. We tackle the big issues, one-by-one and step-by-step, so that you no longer feel ill-equipped to make the case for what you really care about. Today, our Editor at Large, Jamila Rizvi tackles the complex issue of child care and explains why we’re actually thinking about this critical policy question all wrong. Let’s take it back to the basics.