What Do Parents Want in Terms of Early Childhood Education and Care?

Saleem, Sumayya; Burns, Samantha; Davidson, Adrienne; Hampton, Delaine; White, Linda A.; Perlman, Michal

doi:10.1080/10409289.2021.1952391

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 52 publications

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“…In this article, we investigate the impact on information on the attribute of 'type of care' and its three levels (i.e., licensed ECEC and licensed and unlicensed home childcare), as this is the attribute most closely aligned with the treatment that was part of the current study. For a full discussion of the broader conjoint results, see Davidson et al (2021), and for an examination of how the quasi-behavioural choices of parents relate to their stated preferences, see Saleem et al (2021). In the current study, we examine the results of a randomized intervention relative to participant demographics such as their highest level of education and household income.…”

Section: Experimental Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

Information effects on parental choices for early childhood education and care

Burns

Davidson

White

et al. 2022

Behav. Public Policy

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Existing research demonstrates that parents are poorly informed consumers of early childhood education and care (ECEC) services. Choosing such services is a complex process shaped by a combination of logistical limitations (e.g., cost/location), informational barriers and ideas about what the goal of care should be (e.g., education of young children or provision of an environment that feels like home). Experimental studies have also demonstrated that when study participants are informed of the importance of a specific decision, they engage in more complex decision-making. In this article, we test whether providing parents with information about the regulatory stringency of ECEC options available influences their choices regarding ECEC. A conjoint survey designed to capture quasi-behavioural choices for ECEC services was completed by 682 parents. Before engaging with the survey, participants were randomly assigned into either a control group or a treatment group that informed them about the stringency of oversight regarding ECEC options available in the province of Ontario, Canada. Receiving information did not meaningfully change the choices of the entire sample. However, a subgroup analysis revealed an important information effect on parent decisions for lower income/lower-education parents.

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Section: Experimental Designmentioning

confidence: 99%