The Impacts of Non-Parental Care on Child Development - August 1999

5.1 Purpose

This chapter outlines some of the key questions that arise when seeking to measure the impact of various forms of non-parental care arrangements on children's development. In order to collect information on the most influential aspects of the NPC environment, two methods of data collection (NLSCY Parent Questionnaire and care provider survey) were proposed. Section 4.2 examines questions posed to parents regarding their children's care arrangements, while Section 4.3 outlines some of the questions included in a telephone interview with the child's care provider.

5.2 The NLSCY Parent Questionnaire

The parent questionnaire used in the NLSCY currently contains a very comprehensive set of questions concerning the child care arrangements of 4 and 5 year old children. The child care portion of the questionnaire focuses on the type and history of care received, the child's relationship with their primary care provider, and a variety of questions about the characteristics of the care environment (e.g., skills and training of provider, type of activities, number of children cared for, and the availability of clean and safe play spaces). Additional content, however, is recommended in order to ensure that each of the framework components is adequately covered. The main additions for the parent questionnaire focused on increasing questions on the factors influencing parents' selection of non-parental care arrangements such as program costs, location, and program content.

5.3 The Care Provider Survey

Based on an in-depth review of existing surveys and literature in the field, potential questions to be employed in a telephone interview with non-parental care providers were developed. The questions were selected based on their ability to answer the research questions, and in particular by their ability to provide data on the characteristics of the environment, the caregiver, and the quality of the program. The questionnaire design is thorough in the structural measures of quality (e.g., group size, training, ratios, and some aspects of physical setting), but it is much more difficult to measure process indicators of care, which try to quantify the actual quality of care the child receives and the nature of the caregiver-child interactions. Some indicators of process quality such as the degree to which providers encourage cognitive, social and other development can be studied by questioning the care provider directly, others however, (e.g., physical contact with, and responses to the child) are much better measured by direct observation of the care setting. Questioning care providers directly could bias results because providers may be more inclined to report positive practices. Therefore, only process indicators that can be relatively accurately assessed by the telephone survey such as the frequency of certain behaviours or daily routines and activities are examined in this study. Others (e.g., physical contact with the child, disciplinary styles) that are best measured through direct observation, will not be covered.

5.4 Current Content in the NLSCY (94-96) and Recommended Changes

Table 1 outlines the data to be collected. It is divided into two main sections, one describing the items to be collected through the NLSCY questionnaire, and the remaining items to be collected through the NPC provider survey³. A single NPC provider questionnaire was developed to be applicable to care providers working in both home and centre based arrangements. Concepts to be measured have been classified according to the categories outlined in the research framework (see Table 1). The left most column (column 1) denotes the component of the framework that is addressed by each of the questions, and columns 2 and 3 refer to the distribution of the questions between the NLSCY or care provider survey, respectively. All of the questions currently contained in the NPC component of the NLSCY are included in the table, with bolded items signifying new additions. Some overlap is planned so that some of the concepts to be measured are included in more than one of the framework components. In such cases, the component that best describes the item was chosen. Table 2 lists the source of the questions on the care provider survey.

Table 1: Measuring NPC and Its Impacts on Development - Items to be Collected in the North York Pilot Project -

The Child's Care Experience	Source of Questions...
	NLSCY	Care Provider Survey
A. Childcare Selection	1. What age was .... when he/she was first placed in a child care arrangement? 2. Approximately how much do you pay for the main child care arrangement each week? $_________ per week unpaid 3. Did you consider any of the following care options when choosing your main child care arrangement? Mark all that apply. Daycare centre Care in non-relative's home Care in relative's home Care in own home by a non-relative Care in own home by a relative Care in a before or after school program Care in an enrichment program (e.g., Better Beginnings Now, Cap-C) Other____________ 4. When deciding on ...'s child care arrangement how important was each of the following factors? Care can be provided in your home? The caregiver could accommodate more than one child in your family? Flexible hours (e.g., if you had to work late or if your child were sick) Location of the care arrangement Cost of care Qualifications of the provider The care giver to child ratio Daily activities and programs provided Safe, clean play spaces available Child would be taken on outings
B. Type of Care Employed	1. Do you currently use childcare such as daycare, babysitting, care by a relative or other caregiver, or a before and after school program while you (and your spouse/partner) are at work or studying? 2. Do you currently use childcare such as daycare, babysitting, care by a relative or other caregiver, or a nursery school while you (and your spouse/partner) are at work or studying? 3. Do you currently use childcare such as daycare, babysitting, care by a relative or other caregiver, while you (and your spouse/partner) are at work or studying? 4. Which of the following methods of childcare do you currently use? For how many hours a week? Care provided in someone else's home by a non-relative? Is the person providing this care licensed by the government or approved by a family daycare agency? Care in someone else's home by a relative? Is the approved by a family daycare agency? person providing this care licensed by the government or Care in own home by a relative other than a sister or brother of the child? Care in own home by a brother or sister? Care in own home by a non-relative? Care in a daycare centre (including workplace)? Is the child care program or daycare centre operated on a profit or non-profit basis (include gov't sponsored care)? Care in a before or after school program? For about how many hours a week 5. Do you currently use other childcare arrangements excluding care by a brother or sister? 6. Is ...cared for at home by his/her brother or sister on a regular basis while you (and your spouse/partner) are working or studying? 7. What type of arrangement do you consider your main one? — choices 8. Have you ever used childcare for ...while you (and your spouse/partner) were at work or studying? 9. Last summer while...... was not in school, what type of child care arrangements did you use while you (and your spouse/partner) were at work/studying? 10. Did this parent take unpaid leave or quit a job to look after during the summer months?	1. Some childcare workers decide to obtain a license to provide childcare, while others choose to work privately. Do you have a license to provide childcare? 2. Which statement best describes the arrangement under which you operate: Personally hold a license to provide family daycare Work through a non-profit agency that is licensed Work through a for-profit agency that is licensed Work through a licensed agency, don't know if it is for profit or not for profit Other
C. The Care Experience 1. Characteristics of the caregiver	To your knowledge does this provider have any training in early childhood education, or childcare, at the college or university level?	1. What is your gender? Age group? 2. What is the highest educational level you have attained? 3. Do you have a certificate, diploma, or degree in Early Childhood Education (ECE)? 4. Are you taking courses to work towards obtaining a certificate, diploma, or degree in Early Childhood Education (ECE)? 5. How many years of experience do you have caring for children without pay? (Excluding occasional babysitting) 6. How many years of paid experience do you have caring for children? (Excluding occasional babysitting) 7. Have you taken any of the following types of training... Courses in childcare? Babysitting course? Courses in nutrition? Courses related to child development (psychology, family studies)? Planning children's activities? Co-op placement or internship in childcare? Parenting course? Workshops/conferences (general)? CPR and/or First Aid? Other (please specify)______ 8. In general, how would you rate your satisfaction with your job? 9. Why did you become a childcare provider? a) to be with young children b) to make an income c) so I can get children off to a good start d) because I get a lot out of it e) so that I can be home with my own children f) so I can be my own boss g) Other specify
2. Quality of Care 2a. Structural Indicators Adult to Child Ratios	How many other children, if any, are cared for regularly by this relative/caregiver/daycare nursery school, before and after school program, or enrichment program whether part-time or full time (including his/her own children), for each of the following age groups 0-2,3-5, 6 years and over?	On a typical day, how many other children (including your own) are in care with [name of child]?
Physical Setting	Does your child have a clean and safe area to play in — indoors and outdoors?
Heterogeneity of Children in Care		What are the ages of the other children in your care?
2b. Process Indicators Activities Encouraging Development	1. How often...plan activities and use toys and other materials to help them learn new things? 2. How often...encourage language development by talking to him/her and asking questions, as well as using songs and stories for this purpose?	1. On a typical day, how frequently does the child do the following ... Look at books or listen to stories Colour or paint Do arts and crafts Practice writing Take part in physical play like running and jumping Play video games Listen to music Take naps/rest quietly 2. How many hours a day does the child watch television or videos? 3. How frequently do you the following with the children in your care. Go to parks or playgrounds (indoor or Outdoor). Go to the library. Go to museums or zoos. Go to shopping malls. Go to music, dance, sports, or other lessons. Go to play groups or drop-in centres. Go to visit other friends with children.
Caregiver-Child Interactions	1. How often would you say your caregiver praises and encourages child and responds promptly when they need comforting? 2. During the past 6 months, how well has she/he gotten along with his/her main childcare provider? 3. Overall how satisfied are you and your child with your current form of childcare?	1. For each of the following statements tell me how much it applies to your relationship with the child If upset, the child will seek comfort from me The child and I always get along It is easy to be in tune with or to know what the child is feeling The child remains angry or is resistant after being disciplined 2. On a typical day, how often do you have a chance to have a conversation with the child? 3. How important is each of the following? showing warmth to the child providing individual attention to the child allowing the child to make decisions whenever possible disciplining the child encouraging the child to express him/herself being strict with the child communicating with the child's parents 4. How much do you agree with the following statement? I have confidence that the child will do well in school.
Duration / Stability of Care	1. When did you start using this childcare arrangement? 2. Is this arrangement temporary, or do you think you will continue to have child cared for by this provider for at least another 6 months? 3. In the past 12 months how many times have you changed your main child care arrangements and/or caregiver, excluding periods of care by yourself (or spouse/partner) 4. What type of care did you use before you began using your main current method of care? (CHOICES) 5. What were the reasons for changing? dissatisfaction with caregiver/program caregiver/program no longer available family or child moved, parental work status or custody changed changes in child needs (e.g., special care, child's age) a preferred arrangement became available (e.g., subsidized space) cost other 6. Overall, how many changes in child care arrangements has... experienced since you began using child care, excluding periods by yourself (or spouse/partner)? 7.Overall how satisfied are you with your childcare?	1. How long has [name of child] been in your care? Number of years/ months 2. On a typical day, how many hours a day do you care for [name of child]?

Table 2: Care Provider Survey — Source of Questions

Section	Question	Source
Introduction, screener and background	Identify respondent Obtain consent Verify type of care (centre, home-based, child's home) and relationship to child (relative, nonrelative)	National Child Care Survey, 1991 (P) Survey of Unregulated Family Childcare Providers, 1996 (CP) Survey of Home Child Care Providers, 1996 (CP) Caring for a Living, 1991 (CP) Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey (P, CP, OBS)
The Child	Time in care (do we need to repeat this if it is already asked of the parents?) Separation/reunion behaviour Content/involvement with the parent	National Child Care Survey, 1991 (P) Child Development Supplement (P) Australian Living Standards (P) Looking After Children, 1996 (P) General Social Survey, 1996, (P) National Child Care Survey, 1988 (P) Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey (P, CP, OBS)
Other Children in Care	Age and number of other children in care	National Child Care Survey, 1991 (P) Survey of Unregulated Family Childcare Providers, 1996 (CP) Survey of Home Child Care Providers, 1996 (CP) Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey (P, CP, OBS)
Learning Environment and Activities (Quality)	Daily routines Learning provisions Activities	National Child Care Survey, 1991 (P) ECERS (OBS) ITERS (OBS) Arnett Scale (OBS) Classroom Practices Inventory (OBS) Hunter, 1997 (Quality Assurance Paper) Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey (P, CP, OBS) Quebec Survey GRIP (1998)
Physical Safety	Health and safety provisions	National Child Care Survey, 1991 (P) Hunter, 1997 (Quality Assurance Paper) Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey (P, CP, OBS)
Caregiver Background	Socio-demographic information Prior Experience, Training and Education	National Child Care Survey, 1991 (P) Survey of Unregulated Family Childcare Providers, 1996 (CP) Survey of Home Child Care Providers, 1996 (CP) Caring for a Living, 1991 (CP) Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey (P, CP, OBS)
(P)= parent questionnaire; (CP)= care provider questionnaire; (OBS)= observational study. Most surveys of non parental care that measure quality of care do so through direct observation. This is not possible as we are doing a telephone survey with the care provider. How do we measure quality by asking the care provider specific questions?

5.4.1 Child Care Selection

The framework describes several factors that have the potential to influence a parent's decision to place their child in care, and the type of care that is received. Family structure and socio-economic status for instance, have been said to have big impacts on care selection. Though not included in the NPC component, other components of the NLSCY question families, in detail, about their economic and demographic characteristics that can influence care selection and subsequently child development.

Child care costs are an important and related issue in care selection. Less than one half of Canadian four-year-old children from low-income families attend a regulated daycare or preschool program, indicating that costs could be a significant barrier preventing access to quality child care for disadvantaged families. Measuring the costs of various forms of care arrangements relative to income is important in understanding why parents chose one form of care over another and how this may affect a child's development. The questions regarding child care costs were taken from the National Child Care Survey (1988).

The attachment theories suggest that early separation of an infant from his or her mother could lead to developmental problems as the child ages. As a result, many studies have examined whether the child's age at first entry into care had deleterious effects on subsequent adjustment and development. However, results from that research have been inconsistent, with some studies finding negative, others finding positive, and still others finding no effects of age at entry. This stresses the importance of studying the age of entry into care in the NSLCY in order to determine the short and long term impacts it may have on development.

The additional questions in the NPC section of the survey focus more specifically on the options parents consider when selecting their main NPC arrangements and the principal factors that may influence this decision.

5.4.2 Type of Care Employed

The NLSCY has a strong section defining the types of care that children receive, the number of hours normally spent in care, and for some care settings, whether the arrangement was licensed. Care arrangements that are licensed must follow certain government-approved regulations and standards that are likely to affect the quality of care provided and may have an impact on child development. Currently, licensing questions are only asked of providers of children who are cared for outside of their own homes. It is, however, important to know which children, in all types of care settings, are being cared for by licensed providers. Therefore, it is recommended that questions about the licensing of caregivers who provide care in the child's home (both relatives and non-relatives) also be included. In addition, it is also recommended that care providers be questioned about their licensed status, as parents may not be aware of it.

Enrichment programs represent a relatively new form of non-parental care. As these programs become more prevalent across the country, and increasing numbers of children are being cared for in such arrangements, their use should be studied. It is suggested that enrichment programs be included as a NPC option when parents are classifying their main care arrangement.

5.4.3 The Care Experience of the Child

This section of the framework focuses on the experiences that children have in NPC and how the characteristics of the care arrangement and caregiver can affect their development. It was divided into four main sections, the characteristics of the caregiver, the quality of the care environment and daily activities, the influence of the type of care received (covered in previous section) and the duration and stability of the care.

Characteristics of the caregiver: Only one question under this heading is currently included in the NLSCY and all of the additions will be included in the care provider survey as providers themselves are best equipped to answer questions regarding their education, experience, and job satisfaction.

Quality of care: This is an extremely important section, as much of the research indicates that quality is a key factor in influencing child outcomes. Questions from this section have been further subdivided according to the type of factor that is measured (i.e., structural or process). The bulk of the recommended additions are to the care provider survey as providers are better suited than parents to comment on the activities and interactions of the children on a day to day basis (see Table 1 for details).

Duration/stability of care: The NLSCY currently questions parents about their child's history in care, their reasons for changing care providers and the stability of the current care arrangement. This information is now supplemented in the care provider survey by the caregiver's account of the length of time he/she has been caring for the child and the amount of time the child spends in his/her care on a daily and weekly basis.

5.4.4 Child Outcomes

Outcomes during the early years must be measured in order to understand the characteristics of the child care experience that influence children's subsequent development. Although developmental outcomes are not directly measured in the care provider survey, the larger NLSCY provides comprehensive information about each of the 5 spheres of development, thus ensuring the relationships between child care and development can be adequately studied.

• ³Sections of Table 1 are also printed in Norris, Brink, & Mosher. Measuring Non-Parental Care in the NLSCY: Content and Process Issues, Human Resources Development Canada, Strategic Policy, Applied Research Branch Technical Paper T-00-1E. (August 1999).