Child Care Experiences and Developmental Outcomes

Regular nonparental care during the first five years of life has become the norm, rather than the exception, during the past 30 years in the United States. Parents and professionals have expressed concerns about the impact of such care on children's development. Initially, much of the research focused on whether, when, and how much nonparental care the child received, suggesting that early and extensive care might negatively affect children's social and cognitive development. More sophisticated studies followed in which child care quality and family characteristics known to be related to both quality of care and child outcomes were also examined. Much of this literature indicates that children who experience better-quality care tend to display more optimal cognitive and social development than children who experience lower-quality care, although the associations tend to be modest. Implications for public policy are discussed.