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Whole-day or half-day kindergarten? Chinese parents' perceptions, needs, and decisions in a privatised marketplace

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  • Lau, Michelle Marie
  • Li, Hui

Abstract

This study contributes to the Western-normed whole-day versus half-day kindergarten debate with Asian-focused evidence from a longitudinal study on parental perceptions, needs, and decisions in the privatised kindergarten marketplace in Hong Kong. The parents of children attending the whole-day and half-day programmes were surveyed in the first two years of kindergarten. Both programmes were perceived to possess distinctive qualities and parents reflected an effortful quest for an optimal home–work–life balance. Two-step cluster analysis identified three parent profiles – the Slightest Needs, the Moderate Needs, and the Urgent Needs – differentiated by family income, parents' occupation and education, and residence ownership. Finally, logistic regression analyses predicting parental decisions found a shift from a socioeconomic orientation to an educational orientation. The findings indicate that the ‘either or’ thinking in this debate is problematic as what parents need is not the ‘best’ programme but the best ‘fit’. The 4As approach – allocation, affordability, availability, and accessibility, was proposed for policy refinement to cater for evolving societal, familial, and educational dynamics.

Suggested Citation

  • Lau, Michelle Marie & Li, Hui, 2019. "Whole-day or half-day kindergarten? Chinese parents' perceptions, needs, and decisions in a privatised marketplace," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 1-1.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:105:y:2019:i:c:18
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.104427
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Michael Baker & Jonathan Gruber & Kevin Milligan, 2008. "Universal Child Care, Maternal Labor Supply, and Family Well-Being," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 116(4), pages 709-745, August.
    2. Loeb, Susanna & Bridges, Margaret & Bassok, Daphna & Fuller, Bruce & Rumberger, Russell W., 2007. "How much is too much? The influence of preschool centers on children's social and cognitive development," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 26(1), pages 52-66, February.
    3. Jill S. Cannon & Alison Jacknowitz & Gary Painter, 2006. "Is full better than half? Examining the longitudinal effects of full-day kindergarten attendance," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 25(2), pages 299-321.
    4. William P. Warburton & Rebecca N. Warburton & Clyde Hertzman, 2012. "Does Full Day Kindergarten Help Kids?," Canadian Public Policy, University of Toronto Press, vol. 38(4), pages 591-603, December.
    5. Lau, Michelle Marie & Li, Hui, 2018. "Is whole-day kindergarten better than half-day kindergarten? A mixed methods study of Chinese educators' perceptions," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 365-377.
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    Cited by:

    1. Wang, Xinghua & Zhang, Mengmeng & Yu, Yiqing & Hu, Biying & Yang, Xiantong, 2021. "Extending the theory of planned behavior to examine Chinese parents’ intention to use child care services for children under age 3," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).

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