To determine how variations in the different aspects of child care - such as quantity or quality - are related to variations in aspects of children’s development. More specifically, cognitive and language development, children’s relationship with their mothers, and their self-control, compliance, and problem behaviors, as well as peer relations and physical health.
Program/Policy Description
Families chosen based on mothers' employment plans, but not based on their child care plans. The goal was to have a sample of 60% full-time employment (>30 hours per week) in child's first year; 20% part-time employment (between 10-30 hours per week); and 20% staying at home (no more than 10 hours per week).
General population
Children younger than 1 (infants)
Low-income households
Subgroups Analyzed
Single parent families
Two-parent families
Fathers
Children 1-6
Teachers
Children younger than 1 (infants)
Children 7-18
Child care providers
Sample Size and Unit
1,364 children and their families from diverse economic and ethnic backgrounds in the United States (76% white, 13% black, 6% Hispanic, 1% Asian, 4% other).
Mothers and their partners had a wide variety of educational attainment (10% less than 12th grade, 20% high school diploma, 33% had some college, 20% had college degree, 15% graduate of professional degree).
Execution
Not reported.
Sites Studied
Little Rock, Arkansas Orange County, California Lawrence and Topeka, Kansas Wellesley, Massachusetts Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Charlottesville, Virginia Morganton, North Carolina Seattle, Washington Madison, Wisconsin
