ED448908 PS029133

Title: Who's Caring for Our Youngest Children? Child Care Patterns of Infants and Toddlers. Occasional Paper Number 42. Assessing the New Federalism: An Urban Institute Program To
Assess Changing Social Policies.
Author(s): Ehrle, Jennifer; Adams, Gina; Tout, Kathryn
Author Affiliation: Urban Inst., Washington, DC.(BBB03823)
Pages: 48
Publication Date: January 2001
Notes: Project conducted in collaboration with Child Trends. Paper received special funding from the Louise and Arde Bulvoa Foundation. Additional funding provided by the Stuart Foundation.
Sponsoring Agency: Annie E. Casey Foundation, Baltimore, MD. (BBB32721)@Kellogg Foundation, Battle Creek, MI. (BBB00430)@Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, Menlo Park, CA.
(BBB31596)@Ford Foundation, New York, NY. (QPX27000)@David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Los Altos, CA. (BBB31498)@John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Chicago, IL. (BBB25107)@Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, New Brunswick, NJ. (BBB09397)@Mott (C.S.) Foundation, Flint, MI. (BBB04331)@McKnight Foundation, Minneapolis, MN. (BBB24213)@Commonwealth Fund, New York, NY. (BBB01441)@Weingart Foundation, Los Angeles, CA. (BBB25129)@Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, Milwaukee, WI. (BBB26857)@Joyce Foundation, Chicago, IL. (BBB20479)@Rockefeller Foundation, New York, NY. (BBB00165)@Fund for New Jersey, East Orange. (BBB27727)
Available from: EDRS Price MF01/PC02 Plus Postage.
Availability: Urban Institute, 2100 M Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20037; Tel: 202-833-7200; Fax: 202-429-0687; e-mail: paffairs@ui.urban.org; Web site: http://www.urban.org.
Language: English
Document Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data (110); Reports--Research (143)
Geographic Source: U.S.; District of Columbia
Journal Announcement: RIEJUN2001
Target Audience: Policymakers

Despite the growing interest in the care of children younger than age 3, there is little national information available on their current child care arrangements. This study used data from the National Survey of America's Families on the types of care, hours in care, and the number of nonparental arrangements for under-age-3 children of working mothers. The study also examined how aspects of care differ depending on characteristics of the children and families. The study found that 73 percent of infants and toddlers of employed mothers were cared for primarily by a nonparent during the mothers' working hours: 27 percent by relatives, 22 percent center care, 17 percent family care, and 7 percent nannies/babysitters. Thirty-nine percent were in care full-time. Type of care varied according to the age and race/ethnicity of the child. Center care was more common among children of more highly educated mothers. Center care also was used more often for children of higher-income families than for children of low-income families. Relative care was most common for low-income families. Children of single parents were more likely than two-parent families to rely on relatives for care. More children of single parents than two-parent families were in care full-time, as well. Types of care used differed depending on the amount of time parents had available. Time in nonparental care declined dramatically as parent availability increased. Twenty-seven percent of children were cared for primarily by a relative, with 51 percent of these children in multichild settings. Data tables are appended. (Contains 11 references.) (KB)

Descriptors: Age Differences; Comparative Analysis; *Day Care; *Employed Parents; Family Income; Family Structure; *Family Work Relationship; *Infants; Mothers; National Surveys; Parent Background; Part Time Employment; Preschool Education; *Public Policy; Racial Differences; *Toddlers