Building on the data of the ILO Care Policy Investment Simulator (box 1), this brief contributes to this body of evidence and argues that there is a compelling investment case in providing a gender-transformative policy package of childcare-related leave and universal and free ECCE services from birth to the start of mandatory primary education anchored in national law. It highlights the specific challenges that childcare policy gaps pose for parents in the world of work, as well as the benefits that these transformative investments generate in terms of return on investment and women’s employment and earnings benefits. Regional and income-level analyses show that there are benefits worldwide. (author abstract)