Early Childhood and School Readiness

Changing Cost of Child Care Research Series

This series of research briefs explores how the cost of early care and education (ECE) arrangements has increased since the mid-1990s. This series finds that, while families are now less likely to pay for ECE arrangements out of pocket than they were in the past, those that do make out-of-pocket expenditures are paying more for these services tha

Early Care and Education Arrangements of Children under Age Five

Children under age five are about as likely to participate in nonparental care arrangements as they were in the mid-1990s. Children in nonparental care are now more likely to participate in center programs and less likely to receive care from family child care providers. Children in families with income both above and below 200 percent of th

Early Care and Education Arrangements of Children under Age Five
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Supporting Employment among Lower-Income Mothers: Paid Family Leave and Child Care Arrangements

This is the third ASPE brief about a qualitative study examining lower-income mothers’ attachment to work around the time of childbirth and the role of state paid family leave (PFL) programs in supporting their return to employment. This brief focuses on the role of PFL in facilitating child care arrangements of a sample of mothers. Highlights a

Supporting Employment among Lower-Income Mothers: Paid Family Leave and Child Care Arrangements
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Low-Income Workers’ Eligibility for Emergency Paid Family Leave

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, in March 2020 Congress enacted emergency paid family leave (Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act (EFMLEA)) for use by parents when their children are unable to attend school or child care due to the crisis. This brief estimates eligibility for the emergency paid family leave program under different

Low-Income Workers’ Eligibility for Emergency Paid Family Leave
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Low-Income Workers’ Eligibility for Emergency Paid Family Leave - Appendix
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Employment and Wages in the Child Care Industry: Insight from the Great Recession

The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing child care providers across the country to close. Between February and April 2020, employment in the child care industry dropped by about one third, losing 360,000 jobs. We do not yet know how this will affect the longer-term economic health of this sector. This has implications for the supply, quality, and price

Employment in the Child Care Industry
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The Cost of Subsidized Child Care: 2005-2016

This research brief presents findings using national data from child care subsidy administrative records that states submit to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The analysis shows that a greater percentage of subsidized care occurred in licensed child care centers in FY 2016 than in FY 2005.

Subsidy-Costs-Final-Update.pdf
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Final-Tables-for-Research-Brief.xlsx
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Exploring Cross-Domain Instability in Families with Children

Studies in a range of disciplines document high levels of instability for many families and the negative effects this insecurity can have on child development, adult well-being, and family self-sufficiency. This study examines the nature and extent of instability for children and their families using nationally representative data on nearly 15,000

FamilyInstabilityResearchBrief.pdf
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Planning and Implementation of the Rural IMPACT Demonstration

This report summarizes findings from an ASPE study of the first year of the White House Rural Council/HHS Rural IMPACT demonstration, which aims to reduce poverty through coordinated services for both children and parents.

ImplementationFederalRuralIMPACT.pdf
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Are Homeless Families Connected to the Social Safety Net?

New analysis of data from HUD's Family Options Study of families' experiences in shelter and 20 months later shows that families experiencing homelessness are generally connected to public benefits at similar rates to other families in deep poverty. This non-experimental analysis finds that homeless families receive TANF, publicly funded health i

HomelessSafetyNet.pdf
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Learning about Infant and Toddler Early Education Services (LITES): Review Protocol

The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, in partnership with the Administration for Children and Families within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, funded Mathematica Policy Research and its partners to conduct the Learning About Infant and Toddler Early Education Services (LITES) project. LITES aimed to id

LITESprotocol.pdf
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Learning about Infant and Toddler Early Education Services (LITES): A Systematic Review of the Evidence

The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, in partnership with the Administration for Children and Families within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, funded Mathematica Policy Research and its partners to conduct the Learning About Infant and Toddler Early Education Services (LITES) project. LITES aimed to id