Understanding Child Care: Quality, Access and Support
Introduction: Why child care matters
Child care is a vital public policy and family issue, affecting early development, parental employment and social equity. High-quality child care supports children’s learning and wellbeing, while affordable access determines whether families can work or study. Understanding how quality is delivered, how providers access support, and what help is available to families is essential for policymakers, providers and parents.
Main body: Models, supports and practical resources
Quality and provider type
Considerable research, as summarised in public sources, finds that non-profit child care facilities are more likely to produce the high-quality environments in which children thrive. Non-profit organisations also tend to serve lower-income families at higher rates than some commercial providers. At the same time, informal child care remains common in households that cannot afford centre-based provision.
Licensing and benefits for family child care homes
Licensing family child care homes is beneficial for providers because it often opens access to financial and programme supports. Licensed providers can become eligible for professional development and training, and for schemes such as the Child and Adult Care Food Program, which allows eligible childcare providers to claim part of the cost of nutritious meals for children. Licensing can also enable providers to accept children whose families receive government child care subsidies.
State and federal programmes: examples and tools
At the state level, offices of child care typically offer provider resources, licensure information and subsidy rate charts. For example, the Rhode Island Department of Human Services’ Office of Child Care administers areas including provider resources, the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) and Head Start links, and operates the Rhode Island Start Early System (RISES). The RISES family portal allows families to search providers by age group, setting, quality levels and financial assistance. Reports and surveys such as Preschool Development Grant (PDG) findings, COVID‑19 impact surveys, and BrightStars recommendations inform local planning.
National guidance
At the national level, portals such as Childcare.gov provide practical guidance to help families choose quality child care and locate support services in their area.
Conclusion: Significance and outlook
For families, the practical takeaway is to use local portals and subsidy programmes to find affordable, high‑quality care. For providers, obtaining licensure can unlock training and funding that improve quality and sustainability. Policymakers should note the prominent role of non-profit providers and the continuing prevalence of informal care among low-income families when designing support and subsidy programmes.
