Effects of Childcare

Quality Child Care:
An Examination of Non-maternal Care in Infancy
A Review of Literature

Lyndsey Owen
Soc 380
Professor Sharon Taylor
April, 2009
Quality Child Care:
An Examination of Non-maternal Care in Infancy
A Review of Literature
Nearly two-thirds of mothers of children under age six are in the labor force. With more than 13 million preschool-age children in some form of non-parental care, the need for child care is clear (Willer, 2001). The types of childcare utilized and employment decisions and attitudes about childcare often influence the decision of non-maternal in Infancy.   U.S. Census Bureau found that in a typical week during the winter of 2002, 11.6 million (63%) of the 18.5 million children under 5 years of age were in some type of regular child care arrangement. (U.S. Census, 2007 Figure 1,2,3). In April 2001, the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development's (NICHD) "Study of Early Child Care" released preliminary findings from the first phase of its comprehensive longitudinal investigation. Among them was a finding that 17% of young children 3 months to 4.5 years who spent more time 30 hours a week in child care were slightly more likely to show signs of aggressive or assertive behavior than comparable children not in child care (Willer, 2001). The debate over non-maternal childcare has never been hotter with anti-childcare proponents highlighting the negative findings and pro-childcare proponents focusing on the benefits. The need for non-maternal childcare is clear in today’s economy and society. This literature review will focus on the non-maternal childcare experience as it relates to the child and family system and propose methods in finding quality childcare. Understanding the current literature and research limitations associated with child care will highlight the effect on these complex family systems. In an attempt to discover the truth behind childcare this literature review address the following questions...