Maria Korjenevitch

Rachel Dunifon

Child Care Center Quality and Child Development

This brief reviews the latest research on indicators of the Early Childhood Education (ECE)
quality in child care centers. Through numerous Baccalaureate degree, or who attended workshops
studies, these factors are shown to indicate quality on child development, are shown to be more
care and to predict improved outcomes for children. sensitive and responsive in interactions with
However, it is important to note that, although the children (Scarr et al., 1994). According to one
indicators of high quality child care mentioned here study, specific workshops are particularly
are predictive of positive outcomes for children, these effective in improving childcare skills, whereas a
effects cannot be assumed to be causal. Therefore, Bachelors Degree in ECE is the best predictor of
the following indicators should be considered as overall classroom quality rating (Burchinal, Cryer,
general recommendations coming from the most Clifford, & Howes, 2002). In one study,
recent and relevant studies on what elements preschoolers with better educated teachers showed
contribute to quality child care and child development. improved standardized cognitive test scores,
Quality child care has been repeatedly linked to language skills, task completion, and school
positive developmental traits in children, including preparation (D. L. Vandell & Wolfe, 2000).
cognitive, social, and emotional development, and
with an increasing number of children attending center • Licensing compliance with state standards for
based care, these factors are important to consider on day care centers provides assurance that the center
both an individual and policy basis. is meeting the minimal levels of safety, teaching
standards, and proper curricula. Registration
• Caregiver training and education is an and accreditation with a national, state, or local
important predictor of high quality center care. A agency, such as The National Association for the
key recommendation of the Cost, Quality, and Education of Young Children (NAEYC), one of
Child Outcomes in Child Care Centers1 study was the largest, can signal compliance with a higher
to invest more federal, state and local funding to standard of care. Many elements of quality care
the education and training of childcare teaching are included in these accreditation requirements,
staff and administrators and to provide them with including staff background checks, other safety
an adequate compensation based on their level of standards, and medical protocol, to name a few.
education, training, and experience (Helburn, These factors vary by state and by agency, making
1995). Caregivers with formal degrees in it important to understand the underlying
childhood education, such as the Childhood measures which make up the licensing
Association Certification Associate’s degree, or requirements. It has been found that center care
state compliance is higher among centers caring
1
for preschoolers than it is among those providing
  A study done in 1995 which provided the first comprehensive care to toddlers and infants. Therefore, particular
econometric and psychometric analysis of child care and child attention should be given in making sure care
outcomes.     
 providers for these younger age groups meet quality center characteristics including less staff
licensing requirements (Phillips et al., 2000). turnover and more educated staff. Teacher wages
in combination with teacher training, parent fees,
• Minimal staff turnover is another important ratios and group size can significantly predict the
indicator of quality child care. Research suggests quality of classroom interactions (Phillips et al.,
that children should be cared for by the same 2000). In one study, it was found that the highest
teaching staff for at least one year at a time. wage paid to a teacher was the best predictor of
Consistency among staff helps to establish healthy center quality (Scarr et al., 1994). Because staff
and secure attachments. This is particularly wages are typically the largest expenditure of a
important for infants, but is recommended for all child care center, higher teacher wages mean a
young children. Recent research suggests that higher overall cost of care. This means that while
increased behavior problems among children in higher teacher wages can lead to a higher quality of
child care may be due to lack of stability in care, it can also make it difficult or impossible for
teaching staff (Love et al., 2003). This may be parents to pay for care. Because investment in early
related to the fact that frequent turnover does not child education and care can reduce social costs
allow children to develop stable and affectionate later in life, every effort should be made to make
relationships with teachers. Infants and toddlers high quality care more affordable for families with
are particularly affected by staff turnover and young children (D. L. Vandell & Wolfe, 2000).
display more appropriate social behavior when
they are in stable relationships with staff (Scarr et • Curriculum and child assessment are two
al., 1994). procedures through which centers work to foster a
positive learning environment for children. An
• Smaller teacher-child ratios and appropriate appropriate curriculum can encourage teachers to
group sizes have repeatedly been associated with interact with children in an age-appropriate way
quality child care. Children in classrooms with that can improve their social and cognitive
lower child-adult ratios have been found to development. Additionally, children should be
understand teachers better, initiate and participate given regular assessments on their progress and
in conversations more frequently, have better behavior, and parents should be updated with this
general knowledge, readily cooperate, and show information.
less hostility in interactions with each other (D. L.
Vandell & Wolfe, 2000). While being part of a • Warm and caring child care providers who are
group can be beneficial, especially for older attentive, culturally sensitive, utilize positive
children for whom groups promote social and discipline, and interact with the children
cooperative learning, group size should be frequently are important for creating a nurturing
appropriate for the age of the child (Scarr, environment to stimulate development. Children
Eisenberg, & Deater-Deckard, 1994). Lower whose child care providers are more involved and
teacher: child ratios are especially important for invested in them enter kindergarten with fewer
infants, whereas lower overall group sizes are more behavior problems (D. L. Vandell & Wolfe, 2000).
relevant for toddlers (Phillips, Mekos, Scarr, Children appear happier, have closer and more
McCartney, & Abbott–Shim, 2000). Table 1 secure attachments to caregivers, and perform
provides guidelines for teacher: child ratios and better on standardized cognitive and language
group sizes by age, as recommended by various tests in settings with more warm and caring child
organizations. The data from the U.S. Department care providers who have vested interest in the
of Health and Human Services and the American children’s development. In contrast, insensitivity
Academy of Pediatrics and American Public Health and lack of warmth among providers predicts
Association is based on evidence from programs increased behavior problems among children (D.
where children thrive; whereas the New York State L. Vandell & Wolfe, 2000). When caregivers
standards are the bare minimum requirements and engage in more positive verbal interactions with
do not necessarily provide the ideal environment children, the children are more considerate,
for child development. Teacher salary has been sociable, intelligent and task oriented, and have
found to be a strong predictor of quality care, more positive peer relationships (Scarr et al.,
particularly because it is associated with other 1994).
 Table 1: Recommended staff-child ratios and maximum group sizes
Under 6weeks 12 -18 18-24 25-30 31-36 3 4 5 years
6 weeks -12 months months months months years years old
months old old
U.S. Department of Ratio 1:3 1:3 1:3 1:3 1:4 1:5 1:7 1:8 1:8
Health and Human
Services
Group 6 6 6 6 8 10 14 16 16
Size

Ratio 1:3 1:3 1:4 1:4 1:4 1:5 1:7 1:8 1:8
American Academy of
Pediatrics and American 16
Public Health Group 6 6 8 8 8 10 14 16
Association Size
Ratio 1:3 1:4 1:4 1:5 1:5 1:5 1:7 1:8 1:9
New York State Day
Care Licensing
Group 6 8 8 12 12 12 18 21 24
Standards
Size

Higher quality instructional interactions were Start Program, children from low-income families
positively associated with measures of academic or who attended quality care exhibited reduced
language skills, and higher quality emotional aggressive behavior and improved cognitive,
interactions were associated with teachers’ ratings language, and social-emotional development (Love
of better social competence and fewer behavioral et al., 2003).
problems (Mashburn et al., 2008).
In summary, quality child care promotes social,
• The beneficial influences of quality child care are language, emotional, and cognitive development
particularly strong for economically disadvantaged in children and these influences can be seen into
children. In one study, the Carolina Abecedarian adulthood. In the Cost, Quality, and Outcomes
Project, long term IQ , reading, and math scores were Study, children enrolled in higher-quality child care
all increased as a result of quality early child care. classrooms as preschoolers displayed better math
Even at age 21, those who received high quality child skills through second grade; this effect was greatest
care in the preschool period were on average older at for the children of less-educated mothers (D. L.
the time their first child was born, and more likely to Vandell & Wolfe, 2000). The effects of quality
have attended a four-year college than their peers care in early childhood have been associated with
who did not receive such care. Other outcomes higher levels of academic learning ability in future
related to experiencing high quality child care are years, along with school readiness, better memory,
juvenile criminal activity, earnings, and public better language and math skills, and fewer behavior
assistance use (D. L. Vandell, Belsky, Burchinal, problems (Frank Porter Graham Child Development
Steinberg, & Vandergrift, 2010). In the Early Head Center. & Educational Resources Information
Center (U.S.), 1999). An interesting finding shows possible to look at a few indicators and be able to get
that quality effects on children’s development are a good sense of the quality level of the center.
higher at higher levels of quality. In other words, There are many measures, such as Environment
the outcomes show a non linear relationship. The Rating Scales, used to evaluate child care centers;
repercussions of quality center based child care have however the above list incorporates the points which
been shown to last into adulthood, and therefore are most commonly discussed in the recent literature
display that competencies in one period set the stage and encompass many of the evaluative criteria used
for progress in later periods in life (D. L. Vandell et in rating systems. Although these measures have
al., 2010). shown to provide children with positive and healthy
learning environments, careful provisions should be
Of course many elements of quality care are related. made for children with special needs in order to
In one study, the researchers found that all of the foster their development. Overall, quality of early
measures used to evaluate child care centers were so child care continues to be an important policy topic,
highly correlated that using all of them became as quality care continually shows better
redundant (Scarr et al., 1994). In other words, it is development and lasting consequences.

References

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Blau, D. M., & Mocan, H. N. (2002). The supply of quality in child care centers. The Review of Economics and
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Burchinal, M. R., Cryer, D., Clifford, R. M., & Howes, C. (2002). Caregiver training and classroom quality in
child care centers. Applied Developmental Science, 6(1), 2-11. Retrieved from
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Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center., & Educational Resources Information Center (U.S.). (1999).
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Helburn, S. (1995). Cost, quality, and child outcomes in child care centers: Key findings and recommendations.
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This work was supported by a joint research and extension program funded by Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station (Hatch
funds) and Cornell Cooperative Extension (Smith Lever funds) received from Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those
of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture

Maria Korjenevitch is a Senior in the Department of Policy

Analysis and Management at Cornell University.
Rachel Dunifon is an Associate Professor in the Department of
Policy Analysis and Management at Cornell University.

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