1. Understanding Parental Decisions About Children’s Care: An Introduction Child Care Policy Research Consortium Annual Meeting October 29, 2009 Roberta Weber, Oregon State University

2. Goals for Introduction: Begin conversation about policy relevance of understanding parental child care decision- making Begin conversation about policy relevance of understanding parental child care decision- making Briefly review the Consortium’s graphic description of parent’s decision making Briefly review the Consortium’s graphic description of parent’s decision making

3. Policy-Relevance of Understanding Parental Child Care Decision- Making Policy areas that depend on an understanding of child care decision-making include: Policy areas that depend on an understanding of child care decision-making include: Subsidy Policy Subsidy Policy Work/Family Policy Work/Family Policy Quality Information Initiatives Quality Information Initiatives

4. Subsidy Policy Extent to which policies “fit” decision-making processes Extent to which policies “fit” decision-making processes Extent to which policies support or constrain employment and child care options Extent to which policies support or constrain employment and child care options Extent to which employment and child care options/selections are affected by specific subsidy policies: Extent to which employment and child care options/selections are affected by specific subsidy policies: Copayment Copayment Maximum payment rate Maximum payment rate Eligibility rules Eligibility rules Rules governing redetermination of eligibility Rules governing redetermination of eligibility Other Other

5. Work/Family Policy Impacts on child care decision-making of: Impacts on child care decision-making of: Workplace schedules Workplace schedules Access to paid and un-paid leave Access to paid and un-paid leave Sick leave for self and child Sick leave for self and child Maternity/paternity leave Maternity/paternity leave Availability of flexibility at work: Availability of flexibility at work: Part-time options Part-time options Flexible schedules Flexible schedules Economic strengths of families Economic strengths of families

6. Quality Information Initiatives Impact on decision-making of R&R provision of basic and sometimes qualitative information Impact on decision-making of R&R provision of basic and sometimes qualitative information Impact on decision-making of Quality Rating Systems Impact on decision-making of Quality Rating Systems Extent to which information “fits”/matches information parents seek Extent to which information “fits”/matches information parents seek Extent to which delivery fits parent information gathering process Extent to which delivery fits parent information gathering process How parents integrate QRS information with that from other sources How parents integrate QRS information with that from other sources

7. Common Assumptions about Parental Child Care Decision- Making Type of care preferred is affected by race, ethnicity, and language Type of care preferred is affected by race, ethnicity, and language Parents are unable to discern how well an arrangement meets developmental needs Parents are unable to discern how well an arrangement meets developmental needs Parents lack critical information needed for making child care decisions Parents lack critical information needed for making child care decisions Parents prefer simplified information (e.g., stars or gold seal) to more specific information Parents prefer simplified information (e.g., stars or gold seal) to more specific information Parent concerns with cost and location lead to selection of poor quality arrangements Parent concerns with cost and location lead to selection of poor quality arrangements Many low-income parents have few, if any, child care options Many low-income parents have few, if any, child care options Subsidy parents select FFN in order to keep financial resources within their family system Subsidy parents select FFN in order to keep financial resources within their family system Once a parent places a child in an arrangement, they do not assess how well it meets child’s needs Once a parent places a child in an arrangement, they do not assess how well it meets child’s needs

8. Uncommon Assumptions about Parental Child Care Decision- Making: Arthur C. Emlen Parents’ own natural judgment blends values and practical considerations into a best feasible solution for the family Parents’ own natural judgment blends values and practical considerations into a best feasible solution for the family Parents better served with good, hard information than with a quality rating Parents better served with good, hard information than with a quality rating Quality is an abstract concept composed of judgments rather than an objective measure Quality is an abstract concept composed of judgments rather than an objective measure Quality ratings are based on a set of judgments Quality ratings are based on a set of judgments Parents’ judgments more likely to result in child care that meets child and family needs than judgments used to create a quality rating Parents’ judgments more likely to result in child care that meets child and family needs than judgments used to create a quality rating

9. Graphic Description of Parental Child Care Decision-Making Offers Opportunity to: Visualize complex relationships among families and communities Visualize complex relationships among families and communities Organize existing body of research Organize existing body of research Identify relationships among diverse findings Identify relationships among diverse findings Provide researchers access to relevant findings Provide researchers access to relevant findings Help build a research agenda Help build a research agenda Identify areas in which little is known Identify areas in which little is known Clarify research questions Clarify research questions

10. Community Quantity and quality of child care supply Employment characteristics Social Networks Consumer Education /qualitative information Preferences: Dynamic set of parent opinions Opportunities Constraints Barriers (As perceived by parent) Child Care Arrangement(s) Used Number Type Hours Price/costs Stability Perception of Quality Financial Assistance Used CCDF Subsidy Stability Amount Other Financial Assistance Parental Employment Outcomes Family and Child Outcomes Family Parent & Child Characteristics Parent Values, Beliefs, & Definitions Parental Child Care Decision-Making: Graphic Description Description comes from merge of products created by Child Care Policy Research Consortium (2003) and the Minnesota Child Care Research Partnership (2008).

11. Overview of Remainder of Session Theoretical perspectives—Ajay Chaudry, Urban Institute and Julia Henly, University of Chicago Theoretical perspectives—Ajay Chaudry, Urban Institute and Julia Henly, University of Chicago Methodological and Practical Insights— Elizabeth Davis, University of Minnesota Methodological and Practical Insights— Elizabeth Davis, University of Minnesota Findings from a study of the impact of subsidy policy on parental decisions—Ann Collins, Abt Associates, Inc. Findings from a study of the impact of subsidy policy on parental decisions—Ann Collins, Abt Associates, Inc.