Abstract
This chapter reviews, synthesizes, and builds on organizational dependent care support (ODCS) research, resulting in development of a need-based model of ODCS use. Important unanswered questions remain, including among others: the meaning to employees of having dependents; determinants of ODCS use and of need for ODCS; differences in need for nurturance, coordination, and financial caregivers in different combinations and profiles; differences in formal and informal ODCS; the mechanisms in play when organizations offer availability but block ODCS use; family and community moderators of ODCS use; and explicit consideration of different stakeholders. In the US, dependent care is generally privatized to families and employing organizations, therefore how families and organizations handle dependent care becomes how US society treats its dependents, making research on this topic vital in order to help individuals, families, and organizations manage dependent care with efficiency and compassion.