Chapter 7. A Look at Early Child Care in the United States

7.1 Synopsis

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You must read each slide, and complete any questions on the slide, in sequence.

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A Look at Early Child Care in the United States

This activity explores how various maternal demographics affect child-care arrangements. It also describes some of the standards of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), which were developed for educators of children up to age 8.

Two kids eat fruits in day care as the female care taker watches them.

Dave Clark Digital Photo/Shutterstock

Click the arrow to start this activity

7.2 Child-Care Arrangements of U.S. Children under Age 5

It is estimated that nearly 11 million children younger than age 5 are in some type of child-care arrangement while their mothers are working.

Click on each button to view U.S. Census data on child-care arrangements for children under age 5 living with their mothers, by:

Marital Status of Mother

Race and Hispanic Origin of Mother

Age of Mother

Education Level of Mother

Work Status of Mother

NOTE: Preschoolers are children under 5 years of age, regardless of school enrollment status. The number of children in all arrangements may exceed the total number of children due to the use of multiple arrangements.

SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau, April, 2013

7.3 Program Standards of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

The table below shows the 2010 NAEYC Standards for Initial and Advanced Early Childhood Professional Preparation Programs, which were developed for educators of children up to age 8. Key Elements of the Initial Standards are preceded by “(I)” and Key Elements of Advanced Standards are preceded by “(A)”; in cases in which a standard is the same for both Initial and Advanced programs, the standard is preceded by “(I and A).”

Click on each image to view the purpose and Key Elements of the NAEYC standards that are most pertinent to your textbook.

7.4 Program Standards of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

Dave Clark Digital Photo/Shutterstock

Question 7.1

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Maternal age. A child whose mother is 20 years old is only slightly more likely to have multiple caregivers than a child whose mother is 40 years old.

Question 7.2

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You might recount your own positive experience attending an early-childhood program while your mother and/or father worked, or you might cite your text’s findings, that day care is not harmful (and may even be beneficial) so long as the caregiver or staff provides responsive care. Recommending that they consult the NAEYC Web site is also a good idea.

7.5 Activity Completed!

Congratulations! You have completed this activity.

You have received a provisional score for your essay answer, which has been submitted to your instructor.

REFERENCES

NAEYC. NAEYC Standards for Early Childhood Professional Preparation. http://www.naeyc.org/ncate/standards

U.S. Census Bureau. (2013, April). Who's minding the kids? Child care arrangements: 2011 – Detailed tables. Retrieved from: https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/sipp/data/tables/2008-panel/2011-tables.html

Child Care Aware® of America. (2014). Child care in America: 2014 State fact sheets. Arlington, VA: Child Care Aware® of America.