| |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
| |
United States General Accounting Office (1994, December). Child care: Promoting quality in family child care. Washington, DC: Author.
This GAO report examined:
- Public and private initiatives to enhance the quality of family child care and how these initiatives are funded,
- Federal role in supporting quality initiatives, and
- Implications of findings on welfare reform.
The Study
- There are many initiatives to improve the quality of family child care. They receive both public and private funding.
- Federal support came from seven major funding streams. Most funding went to subsidize child care for poorer families. Two of the most utilized federal program for quality improvement were – the Child Care and Development Block Grant and the Child and Adult Food Program.
- Initiatives use funding for a variety of program improvements such as equipment, educational materials, and financial assistance.
- Family care is often more flexible and lower in cost than center care.
- Quality care is defined as safe, stimulating, and nurturing environments for children.
- Agencies that assist providers include resource and referral agencies, community-based organizations, cooperative extension agencies, and public agencies. The amount and type of support to family child care providers varies depending on the agency.
The Methods
- The GAO visited 11 initiatives in Georgia, Oregon, and California. They also visited family child care programs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
- Data were collected between April and October 1994.
The Findings
- Analysis of the 11 initiatives showed three approaches to creating quality care:
- Support networks,
- Training, recruitment, and consumer education, and
- Health initiatives.
- Analysis also indicated that welfare reforms will continue to impact rates of usage of family child care.
R2P Evaluation
This GAO study was an earlier examination of family child care as a growing trend in the United States. Findings from this study still impact the use of family child care today. Welfare reforms and work initiatives continue to play an important role in the use of family child care.
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 Back to Top  Printer-friendly Page  Contact Us
|
|
