Spouse Are Beginning the Search

¶ … Spouse Are Beginning the Search for Good Preschool

Finding childcare for a small child can be a frightening experience not only for new parents but also for parents looking for the second or third etc. time. There are various ways of looking at the process. One process is by utilizing human development in order to view the process of findings suitable care for ones children. Vandell (2004), reports that child care research has made considerable progress in addressing questions about the effects of child care quality, the effects of amount and timing of early child care, and the effects of different types of care such as centers, child care homes, and relative care. The current paper is to discuss the process of locating childcare and the issues and concerns that parents often have associated with this process. Young children benefit from experiences and environments that build on their life-world. Different types of children's services provide young children with diverse experiences. An awareness of the variation in the ways parents conceptualize early childhood education and care (ECEC) services and make choices for their young children is therefore important to the development of a greater understanding of the impacts of such services on children and their families. (Noble, 2007)

As women began to enter the workforce in a drastic influx; daycare became more of a concern; for now was a time that care in the home (the stay at home mom) began to dissipate. Meyers & Jordan (2006),explain that as women approach equality with men in their representation in the U.S. labor force, child care became a critical concern both for families and for community development professionals. For parents-as-providers, most often mothers, the price, availability, quality, and reliability of childcare affect labor market attachment and hours of employment, particularly when children are young. Over the long-term, mothers' employment accommodations for care giving have consequences for career advancement and earning trajectories, and for gendered wage and earning differentials. For parents-as-caregivers, the safety and quality of care has implications for psychological well-being, management of work/family demands, and continuity of employment. (Meyers & Jordan, 2006)

The second half of the 20th century witnessed substantial changes in the lives of young children as maternal employment increased and more children participated in non-parental care arrangements. The available evidence indicates that these care arrangements vary widely in quality, amount, and type. These variations and the large number of children in care (over 10 million children in the United States in 1999) have raised several questions, which are also focuses of this current research. 1.) Does quality of early child care matter? 2.) Does amount and timing of early child care matter? In addition, 3.) Does type of early child care matter? Answers to these questions are important for parents and other childcare personnel, who are interested in the individual and collective well-being of children. They also are important for developmental theory because of their relevance to fundamental issues in the discipline such as the role of early vs. later experience and the efficacy of enrichment and intervention efforts. (Vandell, 2004)

Another method of childcare is the utilization of grandparents. Grandparents, like 'parents' and 'families', are not a homogeneous group. They are in their forties or octogenarians; can be employed full-time or retired; may be gregarious and have personal qualities indicative of loving relationships of be distant and lonesome. Grandparents may live alone or they may be encased within the family and co-reside with their children and grandchildren. Some grandparents may be independent and self-confident; others may lack initiative and self-esteem or be quite dependent. Grandparents fill diverse roles, one of which is the regular care of grandchildren. Grandparents were quite specific about their caring role being different from that of just minding or babysitting. Grandparents spoke about caring within the context of their knowing about not only their grandchild but also the family. This knowing enabled the grandparents to be aware and participate with them (their grandchildren). They saw themselves as providing stability, continuity of care, routine, and consistency. They contrasted their role with that of staff in child care. Grandparents stated that the relationship was more personal with them. They believed that in a childcare facility the children are just seen as another fee. (Goodfellow, 2003)

In the past years, more than fifty states and localities have formed teams that have attempted to measure the economic importance of childcare from a regional perspective, from a labor mobilization perspective, and from a human development perspective. (Warner, 2006) Childcare has a uniquely complex importance for an economy. It can influence the productivity and participation of both the future and the current workforce, affecting both parents and children. (Pratt & Kay, 2006) Research has reported that prior to the recent concern for the quality of school-age care program, policymakers, educators, and parents were concerned about the quality of infant, toddler, and preschool care and education programs. In the early 1980s, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) began an accreditation program that outlined the criteria necessary to support the physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional development of young children birth to age eight. NAEYC defines accreditation as a process in which a program's director, staff, and parents voluntarily work with representatives of the association to determine whether the program meets nationally recognized criteria for high quality. Programs achieving accreditation have demonstrated a commitment to providing the highest quality care and education. (Hall & Cassidy, 2002)

Brennan (2007), argues that child care is a societal institution that separates children from adult socio-cultural communities through this organization of the centre's physical and social space. Young children and their caregiver's in-group care situations are physically separated from adult social activities, and this is encapsulated in both the cultural and social arrangements of the childcare centre. These are aspects often overlooked by parents when looking for childcare. However, it is an important dynamic to consider. Parents want to know that their child (ren) are in an environment that offers optimum positive interactions, learning opportunities, and opportunities to learn from others their own age. While looking for a day care it is important to research the daycare i.e. length of time in business, are there any charges against the facility etc. these are important facts to find out and definite indicators of whether or not a childcare center is one that should be considered. The writer further explains that learning by just being there (in a center etc.) involves picking up values, skills, and mannerisms in an incidental fashion through close involvement with a socializing agent and cultural models of learning. There is a silent absorption of children into community life through the natural participation in its daily rituals and tasks. Yet this requires children's access to involvement in community activities, and access is dictated by the extent to which caregivers organize specialized child-focused activities or expect children to learn from intentional participation in ongoing shared endeavors. In communities where children have access to aspects of adult life they learn from opportunities to observe, and in fact adults expect young children to learn through watching.

There are varying facets to what parents are looking for in a childcare provider/facility. Most young children in the United States now spend at least a portion of their time in non-parental care. Children are cared for in a variety of non-parental arrangements ranging from informal care giving by relatives and friends to formal care in family child care homes, child care centers, preschool settings, and before- and after-school programs. (Meyers & Jordan, 2006) the current literature explains what these facets are and why they are deemed important and necessary by the parents utilized in the studies in this paper. A question that is important to ask oneself is what services are offered for ones child in daycare if he or she has a mental disability. This question is addressed by Hernandez & Hodges (2003) the writers state that systems of care are presented as mutable strategies for improving organizational relationships that are best judged by outcomes focused at the organizational level. The systems-of-care concept is described as an explicit organizational philosophy that emphasizes services that are family focused individualized, provided in the least restrictive environment, coordinated among multiple agencies, and culturally competent systems of care are viewed as more than networks of services. (Hernandez & Hodges, 2003) Traditionally, child care has been thought of from an education or welfare perspective. This is primarily because public funding for early care and education has been limited to programs focused at the preschool level (Head Start or pre-kindergarten) and targeted to poor children (subsidies for low-income parents). An interesting shift has happened in the last few years as the early care and education field has begun to measure its importance for families and the broader economy. (Warner, 2006)

Financial reasons also play a valid role in choosing childcare services. In families that have financial difficulties, there are funds that are appropriated to help fund childcare by supplementing or often covering all expenses. Moreover, recent welfare reforms have focused on work requirements and lifetime limits on public assistance, which increasingly necessitate the provision of childcare to low-income families. The state distinguished 27 classes of child care service, based on age of child, hours of care per day, and size of the child care provider. For each of seven geographic areas in the state, a maximum subsidized fee for one day's care for each class of service was specified. If a provider's fee was less than this amount the state paid the fee, while if a fee exceeded this maximum, the state paid the maximum and the client was responsible for the difference. Eligible households had their choice of child-care providers. Although the subsidy payment was often made directly to a provider, the subsidy was on behalf of a particular client. Many clients were required to provide a co-payment, which depended on family income and number of children. This co-payment was a fixed dollar amount per day; it did not depend on the fee charged by the childcare provider. (Mueser & Weagley, 1998)

Information is provided regarding a study done to determine the effectiveness of this program. There are reasons that care may be necessary inside the home, or additional services. Again, these aspects need to be considered if one has a child with a mental disability. In a review conducted Hernandez & Hodges (2003), explain finding concerning 30 operational systems of care across the country. Various outcomes were reported. These included an array of community-based services for children with serious emotional disturbance (SED) and their families; reduced reliance on restrictive treatment environments and out-of-home placements; increased interagency coordination and collaboration in the planning, development, and delivery of services; flexible services that can be tailored to individual children and families; and (e) cost containment and cost-effectiveness. The researchers conclude that these outcomes indicate that the benefits of systems-of-care implementation are more likely to be found at the organizational level rather than at the individual child and family levels, where symptom reduction and improved functioning are expected to occur.

What affects the choices that parents make in a facility/childcare provider? Research conducted by Noble (2007), explains that the following things effect a parents decisions in a facility/provider. A phenomenographic research approach offers an insider perspective of early childhood services. These categories describe the way parents see ECEC services, as follows: Demographically convenient, parents' thoughts become geared towards issues of demography and/or convenience. Parents expressed the understanding that convenience was related to many factors, including cost, flexibility of operating hours, and proximity to home or their work, as well as availability. Safe, secure, and hygienic, the physical dimensions of the ECEC service as they apply to children; parents were looking for security when choosing a service. A safe, secure and hygienic environment was seen to be one in which children were safe from any form of physical harm. Children were also in a secure environment when they seemed to be happy and well adjusted. (Noble, 2007)

Providing a routine, this conception focuses on the ECEC service as a place where a routine is established and maintained. The routine must be evident; however, it is seen to be vital that it is flexible to suit the child's needs. Within the ECEC service, parents considered it important that children are made aware of the routine, so that they are encouraged to meet expectations and to function as a part of that routine. Further, parents valued being kept informed about the routine, so they could ensure that their child was informed and prepared. Caring and nurturing, this conception focuses on the ECEC service as caring and nurturing. Parents expressed the need for each child to be well cared for in a nurturing environment, with the staff at the service adopting a 'pseudo' parent role and thereby offering the child a high degree of emotional support. Having trained and qualified staff, this conception focuses on the service having trained and professional staff. It seemed very important to parents that they have good 'teachers' in the service. This equated to trained and well-qualified staff. Developing a positive picture of the teacher, and feeling it to be 'good luck' to have that particular teacher, seems important to parents when choosing a particular ECEC service. It makes the parents feel good about another person taking over a lot of control in relation to the child. (Noble, 2007)

Valuing parents and keeping them informed, this conception focuses on the ECEC service as a place where parents are valued and kept informed. It is important that the service value parents and their beliefs, as well as their wishes for their child. Equally, parents expect that they will be constantly informed about their child. Providing socialization, this conception focuses on the ECEC service as a place where socialization occurs. Parents have described this conception as being two-fold in nature. First, they see that it is necessary for young children to socialize with other children who are similar in age. Second, they state that it is necessary for children to learn to socialize with other adults. Parents feel that children need to learn to cooperate with both other children and adults in ECEC services. Preparing for further learning, this conception focuses on the ECEC service as preparing children for further learning. Parents expect that the service will not only identify the child's current levels of growth and development but will also endeavor to extend the child further. (Noble, 2007)

These eight categories of description are understood and distinguished in terms of three dimensions: physical, personnel, and personal. The physical dimension refers to the location and availability of services catering to the needs of the family. The personnel dimension refers to how ECEC services are judged according to the personnel who work within that environment. The personal dimension refers to how the ECEC service is judged according to how the individual children and their family are catered for and responded to within the environment. (Noble, 2007)

Noble (2007), concludes through the research that when parents choose child care services there are things that influence these choices; Relationship with child influenced by the parents' assessment of the needs of the child and the family and how the reactions of the child influenced that choice. Influence of significant others, this category revealed that parent choice was influenced by the opinion of others within the social context. Parents indicated that their choice of ECEC service was guided by hearsay, rather than making a choice independently according to available market information. Obtaining the opinions of others who had utilized the ECEC service beforehand, and who therefore had previous experience, was important to parents in considering ECEC services. Understandings of childhood, the parents were influenced by their understandings of what they wished childhood to be like for their children. Parents viewed ECEC services as providing opportunities for their children to feel secure, comfortable, and stimulated, while at the same time making connections between the home and centre environments. Maximizing the child's potential, Parents were influenced by the notion of expected outcomes for their child. Parents may view the role of ECEC services as spaces for promoting development, ensuring readiness to learn, readiness for school and enhancing school performance which was suggested through supporting research in the documentation Noble; therefore the choice of service can be influenced by its perceived ability to focus on such aspects.

Parents also highlighted the fact that at times their choice of ECEC service was mediated by pragmatic concerns. They chose services that met the practical needs of their family in terms of co-location of children, affordability, and demographic convenience. Therefore, while parents may hold an idealistic perspective of what they wish for in an ECEC service, they may not find it in their local community and, instead, make their choice based on availability. Some parents make their choice based on pragmatic factors alone, as meeting the needs of the family is deemed most important. What is evident is that, because of the limited number and range of ECEC services in particular locations, the ECEC market can rely heavily on the opinions and perceptions of other parents already using a particular service, or those who have previously experienced the service. (Noble, 2007) review by the National Academy of Science reported six studies as finding relations between process quality and children's behavior in the child care setting, and six studies as finding relations between structural/caregiver characteristics and child behavior in the child care setting. To summarize these findings, children appeared happier and more securely attached to caregivers in care settings in which process quality was higher and adult-child ratios were lower. Children appeared more pro-social and positively engaged with peers when caregivers were sensitive and positive to them and when child-adult ratios were lower. Children were rated as more cognitively competent during free play in child care settings that offered more opportunities for art, blocks, and dramatic play, and in settings in which caregivers had college degrees and more early childhood training. (Vandell, 2004)

There is considerable insight into the effect of experiences that children have with their childcare providers. When enculturation occurred during 'authentic moments' or at times when children and teachers were engaged in 'real life' interactions and conversations. These moments were often teachers' spontaneous responses to children's interests or needs and, although brief, acted as 'connectors' that linked the child with the teacher and the group. The researcher observed that teachers were most alive, the children most interested, the group most involved, and the teaching seemingly effortless during these moments. More often than not, children initiated authentic links with teachers and parents when available. (Brennan, 2007)