{"title":"Parents’ Perspectives on Child Care Search Processes and Consumer Education Resources","authors":"","doi":"10.1007/s13158-024-00389-y","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<h3>Abstract</h3> <p>Millions of parents use non-parental childcare for their preschool-age children. Prior research has focused on family characteristics that are associated with parents’ preferences of early care and education arrangements. Yet, little is known about preschool parents’ perspectives of the childcare search process. To further explore how parents search for childcare, we conducted a mixed methods study focusing on parents in a single state in the USA. Our findings suggest that families have to make trade-offs between quality and practicality when choosing childcare. During the childcare search process, families relied heavily on personal networks for childcare referrals and were unaware of public childcare information sources. Parents make childcare decisions based on their perceptions of care. As states across the nation develop their consumer education program, it is important to develop a family-friendly program to reduce search barriers for parents who look for childcare information.</p>","PeriodicalId":43332,"journal":{"name":"INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EARLY CHILDHOOD","volume":"134 1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3000,"publicationDate":"2024-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EARLY CHILDHOOD","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s13158-024-00389-y","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Millions of parents use non-parental childcare for their preschool-age children. Prior research has focused on family characteristics that are associated with parents’ preferences of early care and education arrangements. Yet, little is known about preschool parents’ perspectives of the childcare search process. To further explore how parents search for childcare, we conducted a mixed methods study focusing on parents in a single state in the USA. Our findings suggest that families have to make trade-offs between quality and practicality when choosing childcare. During the childcare search process, families relied heavily on personal networks for childcare referrals and were unaware of public childcare information sources. Parents make childcare decisions based on their perceptions of care. As states across the nation develop their consumer education program, it is important to develop a family-friendly program to reduce search barriers for parents who look for childcare information.
期刊介绍：
The International Journal of Early Childhood (IJEC) aims to bring the global early childhood community together to facilitate exchange of research knowledge. Its purpose is to contribute to scientific debate and research in early childhood fields of practice in early education and care. Articles published in this journal have a primary focus on children aged from birth to eight years. IJEC primarily publishes empirical research reports but also accepts reviews of research, including systematic literature reviews. IJEC accepts articles employing qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, using discipline knowledge from education, and across the social sciences, and including research conducted in low- and middle-income countries. IJEC has a strong applied focus and seeks articles that draw out implications for policy and professional practice across national contexts. The journal also publishes essays and book reviews focused on early childhood.
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