Perspectives on Family, Friend and Neighbor Child Care: Research, Programs and Policy.
It includes six papers that cover topics ranging from parents' choices of kith and kin care to lessons learned about how to serve a multi-cultural group of caregivers.
A Toolkit For Evaluating Initiatives to Improve Child Care Quality (2003).
Part I: The Guide (pdf)
Part II: The Instruments
A new product of a joint study conducted by Bank Street College of Education, Abt Associates Inc. and the National Center for Children in Poverty of the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, the Toolkit is intended to help state child care administrators design and conduct evaluations of quality-improvement initiatives. Unlike general evaluation manuals, it focuses specifically on efforts to improve child care, using examples of current initiatives to illustrate the evaluation process. The Toolkit consists of two parts. The Guide provides a framework for understanding and conducting evaluation of child care quality improvement initiatives. The instruments in Part II can be used to evaluate child care quality improvement initiatives.
Assessing Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) Investments In Child Care Quality: A Study of Selected State Initiatives (2002).
A Study of Selected State Initiatives, Volume I (pdf)
Program Profiles, Volume II (pdf)
In 2000, Bank Street College of Education, Abt Associates Inc. and the National Center for Children in Poverty of the Mailman School of Public Health began a joint study, "Assessing Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) Investments in Child Care Quality." A three-year effort funded by the Administration of Children, Youth and Families Child Care Bureau, it is intended to provide information for policy makers about how to make more efficient use of CCDF quality set-aside funding. The report is organized into two volumes. Volume I consists of our methodology; a summary of the research results; issues related to program design and implementation; initiatives' use of evaluation; and a conclusion. Volume II consists of detailed profiles of the programs we selected for the study.
Supporting Family, Friend and Neighbor Caregivers: Findings from a Survey of State Policies (2005). (pdf)
A new paper produced in collaboration with the National Association of State Child Care Administrators, an affiliate of the American Public Human Services Association, and Child Trends. Based on results of a 48-state survey, the paper presents data about state regulations, subsidy policies, and special initiatives for this population of child care providers. The findings show that there is wide variation across the states in distinctions between care that is subject to regulation and care that is exempt from it, as well as in the policies that states use to ensure subsidized children's health and safety in these license-exempt child care settings. The paper also indicates that interest in enhancing child care quality in family, friend and neighbor care has increased in the past several years: two-fifths of the states supported initiatives for these caregivers in 2004.
Doting on Kids: Understanding Quality in Kith and Kin Care (2003).(pdf)
Doting on Kids reports on the findings from the Institute's study of kith and kin caregivers' perceptions of the quality of care they offer to children. Drawing on data from focus group discussions with caregivers across the country, it illustrates fundamental differences between kith and kin care and regulated child care that have implications for program design and development. In addition, it suggests a new approach for evaluating child care quality, and proposes new measures to evaluate kith and kin care.
Policy Issues in License-Exempt Child Care: Lead Paint, Wages, and Criminal Record Checks 2003).(pdf)
This paper examines three significant policy issues that affect child care provided by family, friends and neighbors. It examines the presence of lead paint in the homes of kith and kin caregivers and explores implications for regulation. The paper discusses wage and labor issues in kith and kin child care. It considers criminal history record checks and fingerprinting for kith and kin caregivers.
Lessons Learned: Strategies for Working With Kith and Kin Caregivers (2000). (pdf)
Lessons Learned begins with a brief introduction to kith and kin care and a description of the National Kith and Kin Child Care Initiative, which was the impetus for the meetings. The underlying philosophy is that kith and kin care should be regarded as a part of the child care continuum that extends from the parent at one end to child care centers at the other. The second part of the paper focuses on strategies for practice.
Neighborhood Child Care: Family, Friends, and Neighbors Talk about Caring for Other People's Children (1998). (pdf)
The results of six focus group discussions with kith and kin caregivers about the origin of the child care arrangements they provide, their reasons for providing it, the child care schedule and activities, the issues they have about caring for other people's children, and their interests.