Parents as Consumers of Child Care

Five hundred and forty parents of children ranging in age from birth to 12 years who were using licensed or registered day care arrangements were surveyed to determine (1) how they selected and used child care services, including the assistance they had sought in finding child care and the recommendations they had for other parents, (2) what problems they had encountered, and (3) what determined their satisfaction with child care arrangements. Results indicated that parents thought they were prepared to select child care, but they in reality did not have the skills or assistance available to them to function as wise consumers of child care. Findings also indicated a lack of diverse, affordable, and accessible child care arrangements. Parents reported problems in finding the child care that met family needs, and that at times the quality of care their children received was inadequate, neglectful or abusive. Satisfaction with child care was found to be related to parental control and input into the care their children received.