The paper examines how the use of child care, the time parents spend with children, and parental well being relate to parental employment. The analysis is based on Wave 1 of the Longitudinal Survey of Australian Children (LSAC) confidentialised unit record file. Four themes are addressed in the report: the labour force status and job characteristics of parents with young children; patterns of use of child care and how they vary according to parental employment status; the impact of parental employment on parenting and time spent with children; the relationship between parental employment status and the wellbeing of parents.