The Modern Family Index – Vanishing Villages

Bright Horizons has spent more than a decade tracking trends in working families. The resulting Modern Family Index research study highlights parents' unique challenges and priorities over the course of a consequential period in history. In 2026, this landmark piece of thought leadership, conducted by the Harris Poll for Bright Horizons, will focus on a variety of important topics impacting families, with waves of survey data released throughout the year. The first wave for 2026 is below.

Vanishing Villages

Most working parents say raising children takes a village. But many are struggling to find theirs — especially when it comes to reliable child care. Working parents say support villages are smaller than they used to be. They feel guilty asking for help, and the absence of consistent, reliable child care affects their productivity, and their ability to work at all. This struggle leaves a deeper impact, namely day-to-day stress, and a constant worry about child care arrangements falling through. As they grapple with piecing together care, they’re also yearning for more stable options, and proactive support from their employer