Accessibility of the Early Care and Education Supply: Variation Within the Center-Based Provider Sector

• In Event: Factors Associated with Access to Child Care

Abstract

Center-based early care and education (ECE) is important for promoting positive early development and supporting families by providing child care so parents can work (Lipsey et al., 2018; Sandstrom & Chaudry, 2012). However, the center-based supply varies substantially across program features and availability; and families vary in their ECE preferences (Chaudry et al., 2010; Gillespie, 2019). Due to the complex nature of centers within the ECE system, many families experience a lack of equitable access. For this reason, this study examined services and features ECE programs offer in a nationally representative sample of the center-based supply using public data from the 2019 NSECE Study (NSECE Project Team, 2019).

This study utilized latent class analysis (LCA) to address two questions: (1) Are there patterns of provider accessibility within the center-based supply, and (2) Are there covariates (i.e., funding, community poverty/urban density, geographic region) that explain patterns of ECE access? Center-based features selected as indicators were informed by a family-centered definition of access with four dimensions: (1) availability, (2) affordability, (3) supports children’s development and (4) meets parental needs (Friese et al., 2017; Thomson et al., 2020). Table 1 reports descriptive information about indicators and covariates for this study. Class enumeration suggested a three-class model provided the best fit, indicating three patterns of program accessibility. Additional analyses were conducted using the BCH approach to account for classification error for the association between latent class membership with contextual/funding characteristics (Bolck et al., 2004).

Conditional probability values were used to interpret the latent classes (Figure 1). The three classes of providers were labeled (1) free but not flexible, (2) supportive but unaffordable, and (3) free and flexible. Centers in class 1 were more likely to be free arrangements, but less likely to offer flexible pay, flexible schedules, and full-time hours. Centers in class 2 were more likely to be at-cost arrangements that receive subsidies, have vacant slots, flexible policies, full-time hours, and PD mentoring. Providers in class 3 were more likely to be free arrangements with flexible policies and receive subsidies. Latent classes of program accessibility were associated with several program funding and contextual factors.

Inconsistent access to the center-based supply may have implications for young children’s early learning experiences (Bayly et al., 2021; Johnson et al., 2019). Centers may be accessible in some ways, but not meet all families' needs, preferences, and constraints. Given these findings, there is a need for center-based providers to be affordable - but at the same time – offer full-time and nonstandard hours, and accommodate child care needs that change frequently. Through analyses of funding/contextual factors associated with patterns of provider accessibility, Head Start funds can make providers more affordable, but centers should also offer services that match families' work schedules and need for flexibility. Additionally, centers in high poverty and urban density communities, and in particular geographic regions do not experience consistent access. A key component shaping young children's early learning experiences is the accessibility of ECE settings, and these findings inform recommendations for future research and policy.

Author

• Christina M Stephens, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
  Presenting Author