Reasons for choosing child care: associations with family factors, quality, and satisfaction

Demographic and family process factors related to the reasons mothers selec ted a particular care arrangement for their 3-year-old children were examin ed along with the type and quality of care the children received and the mo thers' satisfaction with that care. Reasons for selecting care were categor ized as focused on quality, practicality, or preference for a specific type of care arrangement. Mothers in high-income families and those who worked fewer hours were more likely to select a child-care arrangement based on it s quality than on practical concerns such as cost, hours of operation, or l ocation. Mothers who reported higher stress related to parenting were more likely to choose care because of practical issues. Mothers who chose care b ased on quality were least likely to use care provided by a relative. In ad dition, mothers choosing care because of its quality were more likely to pl ace their children in higher quality care, as judged by outside observers, than those who chose based on practical concerns. However, mothers who chos e care because of a preference for a particular type of care (center-based, home-based, or relative) received higher quality care than either of the o ther two groups. Mothers who chose care because of practical concerns were least satisfied with their child's care. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.