Investigated factors associated with amount of time children spend in self-care among 1,194 mothers of latchkey children. Found that children's age and mother's hours per week of paid employment were significantly related to greater use of self-care arrangements. Mother's frequency of attendance at religious services was related to lesser use of…

Data on 13,881 students and their parents suggests that mother's time in the labor force is clearly only associated with amount of unsupervised time after school and whether parents volunteer at school. Students' gains in test scores over two years are generally independent of maternal employment status. (JPS)

Created national estimates from 1984 Current Population Survey of number of school-age children in self-care at some time of day. Results suggest self-care most likely used by middle- to upper-income White mothers in suburban or rural areas, with no other adult in household, for older children, and for only for short time each day. (Author/NB)