Parents' Perceptions of Child Care in the United States: NACCRRA's National Parent Poll
With nearly 12 million children under age five in some type of child care setting every week, the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) conducted a poll of nearly 600 parents to find out what kind of care they use (family or friends and neighbors), if they are juggling work hours to take care of their children, their perceptions of child care in general, and their thoughts on minimum requirements for caregivers. Interestingly, one of the top two assumptions parents make is that their child care provider offers a "learning environment."  Unfortunately, the reality in the U.S. is that only 12 states require child care providers to have training in early childhood education. Learn what parents are looking for, what choices parents make, and what underlying assumptions they logically make.
 
To read the executive summary of the report, go to:  http://www.naccrra.org/policy/docs/Execsumm.pdf
 
To read the recommendations of the report, go to: http://www.naccrra.org/policy/docs/Recommendation.pdf
 
To learn more about child care facts and figures, go to: http://www.naccrra.org/policy/docs/childcareinamericafactsheet.doc
 
To learn more about child care statistics in your state, go to: http://www.naccrra.org/randd/map.php
 
For a copy of the full report, please contact Jen Schill at or 703.341.4148, at the National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (NACCRRA).