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Is stability always a good thing? Low-income mothers' experiences with child care transitions

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  • Speirs, Katherine E.
  • Vesely, Colleen K.
  • Roy, Kevin

Abstract

Recent research has drawn attention to the deleterious effects of instability on child development. In particular, child care instability may make it hard for children to form secure attachments to their care providers which may have a negative impact on their development and school readiness. These effects seem to be heightened for low-income children and families. However, there remains a lack of clarity regarding how and why low-income mothers make changes to their child care arrangements. Using ethnographic data from Welfare, Children, and Families: A Three City Study, this study explored 36 low-income mothers' experiences of child care instability and stability and the factors that promoted each. We identified four kinds of child care transitions: planned, averted, failed, and forced. Financial resources, transportation and the availability of care during the hours that mothers work were important for helping mothers find and maintain preferred care arrangements. Our findings have implications for research on child care instability as well as the development of policy and programs to help low-income families secure high quality child care and maintain stable employment.

Suggested Citation

  • Speirs, Katherine E. & Vesely, Colleen K. & Roy, Kevin, 2015. "Is stability always a good thing? Low-income mothers' experiences with child care transitions," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 147-156.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:53:y:2015:i:c:p:147-156
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2015.03.026
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Tran, Henry & Winsler, Adam, 2011. "Teacher and center stability and school readiness among low-income, ethnically diverse children in subsidized, center-based child care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(11), pages 2241-2252.
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    4. Karen Mason & Karen Kuhlthau, 1992. "The perceived impact of child care costs on women’s labor supply and fertility," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 29(4), pages 523-543, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Schmitt, Sara A. & Mihalec-Adkins, Brittany & Lipscomb, Shannon T. & Pratt, Megan E. & Horvath, Gregor, 2022. "Longitudinal relations among child care stability during the prekindergarten year and behavior problems," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    2. Aranda, Rodrigo & Lamprecht, Caroline & Ribar, David C., 2024. "Spells of subsidized childcare arrangements and subsidy non-use," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    3. Priyank Arora & Wei Wei & Senay Solak, 2021. "Improving Outcomes in Child Care Subsidy Voucher Programs under Regional Asymmetries," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 30(12), pages 4435-4454, December.

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