Boston Parent Survey 2006

1. Boston Parent Survey 2006 Corey Zimmerman Boston EQUIP A project of Associated Early Care and Education

2. Overview Why was this study done at this time? How was the data gathered? What were the results? What can we do with this information?

3. The purpose of the study was to learn from parents about their needs and priorities for early care and education to inform planning. Missing �demand-side� data or the parent perspective

4. The data was gathered by.. Strategies for Children and Boston EQUIP engaged Opinion Dynamics, a polling/survey research firm, to conduct a quantitative statewide survey with an over-sample in Boston Data collection: Opinion Dynamics Methodology = Telephone interviews ~ 16 minutes Interview dates: April 13 � May 10, 2006 Sample = 205 primary caretakers of children younger than age 7 who live in Boston (n = 205 primary caregivers, n = 283 children) Data analysis: Boston EQUIP

5. The survey respondents were: Age 18-24 9% 25-29 17% 30-34 26% 35-44 32% 45+ 11% (Refused) 3% Marital Status Single 31% Married 50% Live w/ Partner 5.5% Other 13.5% Relationship with child Mother/Stepmother 77% Father/Stepfather 15% Foster Parent 2.5% Grandparent 4.5% Number of children under 7 One 67% Two 25% Three 5% Four or more 2%

6. Ethnicity White 43% African-American 21% Latino, Hispanic 28% Other 2% Language spoken at home 63% speak English at home 37% spoke other language at home Household income $0 - $24,999 24% $25,000 - $59,999 27.7% $60,000 - $99,999 17.1% $100,000 or more 10.6% Not sure / Refused 31.8% Survey respondents (cont�d)

7. What did we find out?!?

8. In Boston, many people are providing early care and education in multiple locations.

9. For the 21% of children who receive early care and education solely from their parents, their parents offered these reasons for their choice

10. 61% of Boston children experience 1 or 2 care and education arrangements per week, in addition to their parents.

11. The other way to say that last slide is..8 of every 10 Boston children regularly receiveearly care and educationfrom a non-parent.

12. Boston children spend at least 28 hours on average in care and education weekly.If they are in care at least 1 hour a week, the mode is 40 hours a week. Of those who were in care at least one hour a week and less than 150 hoursOf those who were in care at least one hour a week and less than 150 hours

13. Most children in care and education arrangements spend the majority of hours in formal arrangements.*

14. 56% of Boston children are in care & education arrangements 5 days a week.

15. Most children�s care and education arrangements are stable.

16. 71% of Boston children receive care and education in a location closer to their homethan closer to where their parent�s work,and parents prefer it that way.

17. 55% of parents transport their childrenby car to their early care and education.

18. 47% of parents travel less than 10 minutes to get from their home to the place where their child(ren) receive most early care and education.

19. Directions: Gave parents a list of items and asked them to 1) Rank the importance of the item 2) Rate their early care and education arrangement on the item. 3) Choose if one of the items could be improved from their current early care and education arrangement

20. Quality is more important than Cost to Parents

21. Most parents rate their current care and education arrangements as excellent or good.

22. The importance and perceived quality of current arrangements are close. One way to look at how these compare is to do a gap analysis. Replicating methodology Opinion Dynamics used in statewide analysis.One way to look at how these compare is to do a gap analysis. Replicating methodology Opinion Dynamics used in statewide analysis.

23. Just as interesting as what they rated positively is what parents didn�t rate. No parent rated the opportunities for social and emotional development in their current arrangements as poor. No parent rated the safety of their current care and education arrangements as �poor� Although 12% ranked the safety as �Fair� or �Refused� Raises the question �how do parents define safety?� Classroom safety? Community safety?

24. Not surprisingly even though quality is important, if parents could improve one item 29% would �improve� the cost of their care and education arrangements.

25. 82% of Boston Parents are Interested in Universal Preschool.

26. What we learned: Majority of Boston children experience 1-2 care arrangements /week On average, Boston children are spending at least 28 hours (+ 22.5 hours) in their care & education arrangements More than half of Boston children are in their education and care and arrangements 5 days per week. Most Boston children travel less than 10 minutes to their care and education, which is close to their home About half of Boston children travel by car Quality is more important than cost to parents. Most parents view their current care and education arrangements as excellent or good. About a third of parents would improve the cost if they could.

27. Action items�. PowerPoint available on www.bostonequip.org Conduct focus groups with parents to explore cultural preferences of families, and ask What other items are valuable to parents as they make decisions? How long does it take Boston parents to find care and education arrangements they consider excellent/good? 3) Feed data into comprehensive citywide planning process to design services for children birth to school-age that meet their families� needs. 4) What else?

28. For more information: Corey Zimmerman Boston EQUIP Associated Early Care and Education 95 Berkeley St. Suite 306 Boston, MA 02116 czimmerman@associatedece.org 617-695-0700 x 229 www.bostonequip.org