ERIC ED494950: Family, Friend, and Neighbor Care: Strengthening a Critical Resource to Help Young Children Succeed. 2006 KIDS COUNT Essay

2006·4.1 MB·English

by  ERIC

Family, Friend, and Neighbor Care:
Strengthening a Critical Resource
to Help Young Children Succeed
The Annie E. Casey Foundation
2006 KIDs COUNT
EssAy
KIDS COUNT, a project of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, is a
national and state-by-state effort to track the status of children in
the United States. By providing policymakers and citizens with
benchmarks of child well-being, KIDS COUNT seeks to enrich
local, state, and national discussions concerning ways to secure
better futures for all children. At the national level, the principal
activity of the initiative is the publication of the annual KIDS COUNT
Data Book, which uses the best available data to measure the
educational, social, economic, and physical well-being of children.
(This Essay is derived from the 2006 KIDS COUNT Data Book.) The
Foundation also funds a nationwide network of state-level KIDS
COUNT projects that provide a more detailed, community-by-
community picture of the condition of children.
To obtain additional copies of this publication or to request
a free copy of the Data Book, please visit the Foundation’s
website at www.aecf.org/publications.
Family, Friend, and Neighbor Care:
Strengthening a Critical Resource
to Help Young Children Succeed
Since 1990, the Annie E. Casey Foundation has released an
annual, updated KIDS COUNT Data Book to report on the well-
being of America’s children. Each year, we focus on the needs
and conditions of America’s most disadvantaged children and
families, as well as on the statistical trends. Our goal is not only
to increase public awareness of the challenges facing vulnerable
families and at-risk kids, but also to heighten public interest in
strategies and policies that we believe hold promise for meeting
some of those challenges.
In recent years, our KIDS COUNT essays have highlighted the
importance of, and potential for, helping particularly vulnerable
older youth make a more successful transition to adulthood;
examined how and why families living in poor neighborhoods
pay disproportionately higher costs for basic goods and ser-
vices; and promoted new approaches for helping persistently
unemployed parents productively connect to the workforce.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation 

This year, we zero in on one of the most critical component in the continuum
important challenges facing our nation: of child-care options that millions
improving early childhood develop- of families, especially low-income
ment opportunities for young children families, use. It is a form of child care
living in low-income neighborhoods so that we refer to as “family, friend, and
that more of these kids will start school neighbor care,” which is offered in a
healthy and prepared to learn and suc- home-based setting outside a child’s
ceed. In particular, we examine the own home, by both regulated and
critical issue of child care. unregulated providers. We also refer
Although parents are and always to it as home-based and family-based
will be their children’s primary care- care. It includes the many local care-
givers and teachers, the importance of givers who are paid to work with small
quality child care and its influence on groups of children in their homes and
early childhood learning are well estab- who do so as a business enterprise that
lished. High-quality child care nurtures, contributes to the economic and social
stimulates, and supports children as fabric of their communities. It also
they build the confidence and critical includes the grandparents, aunts,
capacities they need to thrive in school and other relatives who open their
and in life. It keeps children safe, pro- homes daily to help family members,
motes good health and nutrition, fosters often for free.
positive trusting relationships with We recognize that there are
other children and adults, and supports various audiences, including some
and supplements parents’ role as their child-care advocates, who make further
children’s first and primary teachers. distinctions among this population,
In addition, quality child care helps particularly in relation to regulated
parents succeed as workers by providing versus unregulated providers. We
them with the security of knowing that have chosen not to make this distinc-
their children are safe and well super- tion for two reasons. First, there is
vised while they are on the job. In short, such significant variation across states
quality child care is a key element in surrounding regulation requirements
assuring that millions of kids receive that these distinctions, at least for the
a good start in life, and it’s a critical purposes of this essay, become far less
resource in any strong family-supporting meaningful. In fact, the differences
community. Moreover, access to good in definition among states, organiza-
child care can help close the growing tions, and advocates are indicators
economic and academic gaps between of the need for greater attention and
America’s low-income and affluent kids, clarity in the field. Second, we believe
families, and communities. that many of the issues—as well as
This year, our 17th annual KIDS the types of supports we advocate
COUNT Data Book essay looks at a in this essay—are quite pertinent to
The Annie E. Casey Foundation 
Essay
both regulated and non-regulated
family providers.
Family, friend, and neighbor
child-care providers contribute to the
healthy development of young chil-
dren, and they help determine how
Research confirms what most ready millions of American children
are to learn and succeed. At the same
people intuitively know: Quality
time, these critical caregivers often are
child care that encompasses undervalued and under-supported.
Although they represent a huge and
strong developmental experi-
longstanding segment of our nation’s
ences has a long-term positive child-care providers, there are rela-
tively few organized efforts to improve
impact on academic achievement
and enhance the quality of the care
and provides important social they deliver. If we strengthen and rein-
force their effectiveness, then we can
benefits for vulnerable children
improve outcomes for the children and
at risk of poor outcomes. For families who rely on these caregivers.
In the pages that follow, we examine
lots of kids, these early formed
why family, friend, and neighbor care
benefits extend through adoles- is so vital to the well-being of millions
of kids and why we need to do much
cence and into adulthood.
more to support and strengthen it. We
also illustrate a number of promising
efforts across the country that are
taking on this challenge in new and
creative ways.
The Importance of
Quality Child Care
The majority of American children
under age 6, regardless of their par-
ents’ income level, now spend a good
portion of time in the care of people
other than their parents. According to
the 2003 National Survey of Children’s
Health, about 15.5 million children, or
65 percent of all children under age 6,
regularly receive non-parental child care.
 www.kidscount.org
In addition to helping and sup- skills. This gap almost triples when the
porting parents, non-parental poorest children are compared to the
caregivers can make a huge difference most affluent 20 percent.3
in advancing a child’s early develop- These gaps are particularly pro-
ment of vital foundational skills and nounced for children of color. The Early
capacities. Because development occurs Childhood Education Longitudinal
so rapidly and dynamically in the Study, a nationally representative sample
early years of life, experiences during of nearly 23,000 kindergartners, shows
this period can set “either a sturdy that black and Hispanic children score
or a fragile stage for what follows.”1 substantially below white children at
Research on brain development shows the beginning of kindergarten on math
that from birth to age 5, children make and reading readiness achievement. The
dramatic progress in their linguistic Family and Child Experiences Survey,
and mental abilities; their emotional, administered to 3- and 4-year-olds
social, and moral development; and entering Head Start, shows that those
their ability to learn self-control. who qualify for the program are
In each of these domains, early disproportionately minority children
care practices can have a profound from low-income families. These kids
influence, helping children reach criti- already fall well short in vocabulary,
cal developmental milestones. Research early reading, and early math.4
has clearly documented the impact Given the critical importance
of the home environment on learn- of school readiness on a child’s future
ing. But other early care settings are success and the achievement gaps that
also crucial. A large body of research exist across income and racial groups,
underscores how quality child care we must reach our youngest children
enables young children to build the early and help them develop the capa-
cognitive and social skills that will cities they need to succeed in school and
help them learn, build positive social in life. One of the most valuable ways to
relationships, and experience academic do this is to bolster the quality of child
success once they enter school.2 care that low-income children, in par-
Although child care that provides ticular, receive. Research confirms what
engaging activities is important for most people intuitively know: Quality
all young children, it is vital for poor child care that encompasses strong
kids who too often lack access to developmental experiences has a long-
enriching learning experiences and term positive impact on academic
arrive at school already academically achievement and provides important
disadvantaged. Children in the lowest social benefits for vulnerable children at
socioeconomic groups, on average, start risk of poor outcomes. For lots of kids,
school months behind their middle- these early formed benefits extend
class peers in pre-reading and pre-math through adolescence and into adulthood.5
The Annie E. Casey Foundation 
Essay
The Role and Use of Family, type of care, the number of family,
Friend, and Neighbor Care friend, and neighbor providers is
Clearly, quality child care can make significant. For example, a recent study
a critical contribution to improving reports that approximately 2.3 million
children’s prospects of starting school people are paid to provide care for
healthy and prepared to succeed. But children from birth to age 5 in any
where do families typically get such care? given week. Of these, 35 percent
As we noted earlier, nationally, 65 per- (about 804,000) are paid relatives,
cent of children under age 6—almost and 28 percent (some 650,000) are
15.5 million children—regularly receive non-related persons providing care in
non-parental child care.6 Many of these home-based settings. Only 24 percent
children are enrolled in programs such as of all paid providers (roughly 550,000)
Head Start or in other formal child-care work in center-based settings.8
centers. Over the years, these programs Nationally, about 1.5 million
have helped millions of children get a children under age 6 receive their care
good start in life. A large number of exclusively from family, friends, and
children, however, are cared for in other neighbors. An additional 5 million
settings. Of the 15.5 million children in split their time between these caregiv-
child care, almost 42 percent—some 6.5 ers and other, mostly center-based,
million children—spend all or part of child-care providers. Family, friend,
their time in a home-based, rather than and neighbor care is particularly
center-based, setting. Two and a half common for the youngest children.
million of these children (about 39 per- According to a national survey, while
cent) come from families with incomes half of the children from birth to age 2
below 200 percent of the poverty line.7 receive their care entirely from parents,
For these 6.5 million children, more than half of the rest—51
family, friends, and neighbors shape percent—are in the care of these
a significant part of their early child- home-based providers.9
hood experiences. In some cases, this Many families rely on family,
means local providers who regularly friends, and neighbors to supplement
care for small numbers of children in the care they receive through child-care
their homes. Some of these providers centers. Others turn to their family
are formally regulated or licensed, but members, friends, and neighbors when
many are not. In other cases, it often their children are infants and toddlers.
means uncompensated care in the Then, they enroll them, for at least a
home of a grandparent, aunt, or other portion of their day, in center-based
relative, or a nearby neighbor. care for more formal pre-school experi-
Although most states and cities ences. Data from the National Survey of
don’t consistently or regularly track American Families reflect this pattern:
how many individuals provide this 38 percent of children younger than 5
 www.kidscount.org
who were in non-parental care regularly
experienced multiple care arrangements.
According to the National
Survey of Children’s Health, the use of
non-parental family-based care ranges
from highs of 47 percent in South
Dakota; 41 percent in North Dakota; Our focus on family, friend,
39 percent in Mississippi; and
and neighbor care should not
38 percent in Nebraska; to lows of
18 percent in Utah; 22 percent in be interpreted as a failure to
Nevada and Massachusetts; and 23
appreciate the critical importance
percent in Arizona, Illinois, New York,
and Washington. Generally, states with of quality center-based care.
the highest use of family-based child
Indeed, it would be difficult
care also have the highest rates of chil-
dren in non-parental child care overall. to overstate the invaluable
Black families are the most likely
contributions of center-based
to use family, friend, and neighbor
care of any racial and ethnic group care to millions of children,
(37 percent), but a substantial number
including millions of low-income
of white families also rely on it (27 per-
cent). Hispanic families are much more children and their families.
likely to rely exclusively on parental care
than either blacks or whites. When they
do use out-of-home care, they use fam-
ily, friend, and neighbor care more than
center-based care.10
In general, lower-income
families—incomes below 200 percent
of poverty—rely most on parent-
only care for children from birth to
age 5 (41 percent), but family, friend,
and neighbor care is their most com-
monly used form of non-parental care
(25 percent).11 However, as more
low-income mothers enter the work-
force to pursue careers or as a result of
welfare reform, both the need for and
use of family, friend, and neighbor
care will increase.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation 
Essay
Why Families Choose Family, care settings. Generally, families who
Friend, and Neighbor Care use family, friend, and neighbor care
Families who rely on family, friend, and spend considerably less if they spend
neighbor care rather than formal child- anything at all. Estimates are that two-
care centers do so for varied and often thirds of children in this type of care
intertwined reasons that are both practi- are in unpaid care.14 In 2005, families
cal and personal. For example, parents’ who paid for relative care spent, on
employment status and schedules influ- average, about $60 per week on child
ence the kind of care they choose, care compared with $86 per week for
especially for those who don’t work families using center-based care.15 The
9-to-5 jobs. In a 2002 study of children comparative affordability of family,
from birth to age 5 in low-income friend, and neighbor care is important
families, an estimated 28 percent of because child-care costs can be an
those living in single-parent families enormous burden for poor families
had a parent working nonstandard hours, who, on average, spend about 25 per-
and 66 percent of those living in two- cent of their income for child care
parent families had at least one parent compared with 7 percent in higher-
who worked nonstandard hours.12 In income families.16
addition, many parents in low-wage Although convenience, access, and
jobs have fluctuating schedules that affordability are important reasons why
sometimes require them to work an many parents choose family, friend, and
unpredictable mix of nights, days, and neighbor care, research indicates that
weekends. Child-care options that only other compelling factors also influence
operate during standard workday hours their decision—factors that have as
simply don’t meet these parents’ needs. much to do with preference, trust, per-
Transportation issues also play a sonal comfort, culture, and relationships
role in determining what child-care as they do with economics and practi-
settings parents use. Dropping their cality. One is parents’ belief that their
children off at a provider’s home a children will receive more personalized
block or two away is more convenient attention in family, friend, and neigh-
than driving to a child-care center that bor settings because child-to-adult ratios
may not be on the route to work. For tend to be lower than in formal child-
the many low-income parents without care centers. On average, child-to-adult
access to a car, using public transporta- ratios range from one to four children
tion to bring their child to a child-care per adult in family, friend, and neighbor
center is simply not feasible, particularly care and from five to seven children per
given the erratic hours inherent in adult in center-based care.17
certain jobs.13 An even bigger factor, for many,
Cost is also a consideration when is having their young children in a
families make decisions about child- home-like environment with someone
 www.kidscount.org