Family child care (FCC) is uniquely positioned to address challenges with insufficient early care and education supply and access in the United States. FCC programs were steadily declining before COVID-19, and many child care programs, both center- and home-based, were at risk of closure early in the pandemic. This study examines closure among…

The expansion of early childhood education and care (ECEC) programs has generated increasing interest in establishing appropriate structural standards that can optimize child outcomes. To contribute to this discourse, this study aims to investigate the characteristics and influencing factors of classroom quality. Ninety-six classrooms (202…

Early childhood educators (ECEs) greatly influence young children's physical activity and sedentary behaviors in childcare and psychosocial factors have been found to influence their teaching practices in this environment. This study sought to determine which personal and professional characteristics predicted ECEs' self-efficacy, behavioral…

Women who begin childbearing as teenagers attain lower levels of education than women who delay childbearing until age 20 and later. Little is known about post-pregnancy factors that predict educational attainment among teen mothers. The current study examined whether teen mothers' environment and experiences 2 years after their first birth…

Scholars theorize that "opportunity gaps" drive achievement disparities between children born into poverty versus affluence. In a 26-year longitudinal study (N = 814), we examine (a) economic disparity in children's accumulation of opportunities--from birth through high school--at home, childcare, school, afterschool, and in the…

High-quality early childcare and education (ECE) has demonstrated long-term associations with positive educational and life outcomes and can be particularly impactful for children from low-income backgrounds. This study extends the literature on the long-term associations between high-quality caregiver sensitivity and responsiveness and cognitive…

The number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) is a key indicator on the state of youth labour markets and opportunities for young people more generally. However, it is a diverse group as people can be NEET for many reasons, and so understanding the importance of these reasons is crucial for targeting policy…

Background: Parent-child interactions are crucial for child development. The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected mental health and increased parenting challenges impacting parent-child functioning. Objective: This study examined parent factors related to more and less enriching child activities during the pandemic through Bronfenbrenner's…

Most parents in Indonesia are unable to provide maximum care for their children while working. Childcare includes fostering moral intelligence, which is carried out by grandmothers, household assistants, and daycare assistants. Furthermore, 178 young children (95 males and 83 females) and 178 caregivers (68 grandmothers, 54 household assistants,…

Background: Home-based child care is a widely-used form of child care. However, given its prevalence, there is little research examining the providers' instructional practices and how these may vary by provider characteristics. Objective: The goal of this study is to describe variation in instructional practices among home-based child care…

Using a sample of pre-K attendees from 11 states in the United States (n = 2,966), we examined whether early childhood educational experiences contribute positively or negatively to later preschool absences. Although some of the most important predictors of absences were factors external to the school and classroom environment (e.g., poverty and…

Little is known about needs of grandparents of young children with autism in family and community settings. This study investigated perceived needs of grandparents of preschool-aged children diagnosed with ASD in the cultural context of Sweden. Participants were 120 grandparents of children enrolled into autism intervention programs provided by…

Although literature reports associations between parent-teacher communication and childcare quality, little is known about how such communications are related to family, child and childcare characteristics. This study examines whether child, family and childcare experience characteristics predict the level of parent-teacher communication, and…

This study examines the prevalence of home-based child care providers who report serving at least one child whom they identify as having a disability. Although many families choose home-based child care, researchers know very little about how many home-based providers care for young children with disabilities. Through secondary analysis of the…

Viewed through a social justice lens, preschool expulsion is an educational equity issue. This study focused on prior expulsion from preschool and child-care in a longitudinal study of 203 autistic children, ages 4 to 7. By parent report, 16%--one out of six autistic children--had been expelled from a preschool or child-care setting prior to…