abstract: 'We examine family and individual characteristics that predict low-income

  parents'' child care use, problems with child care, and receipt of public

  subsidies using data from three demonstration studies testing policies

  to promote employment for low-income parents (primarily single mothers).

  The characteristics that mattered most, particularly for use of

  center-based care were family structure (ages and number of children),

  parents'' education, and personal beliefs about family and work. The

  effects of race and ethnicity were inconsistent suggesting-that

  generalizations about ethnic differences in child care preferences

  should be viewed With caution. There was little support for the

  proposition that,many low-income parents do not need child care

  assistance because they use relative care. Child care subsidies and

  other policies designed to reduce the cost of care and to increase

  parents'' employment appeared to meet the needs associated with caring

  for very young children and for large families and were most effective

  in reaching parents with relatively less consistent prior employment

  experience. Parents whose education and personal beliefs were consistent

  with a preference for center-based care were most likely to take

  advantage of the opportunity to choose that option and to use subsidies.

  (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.'
affiliation: 'Huston, AC (Corresponding Author), Univ Texas, Dept Human Ecol, 115GEA-A2700,
  Austin, TX 78712 USA.

  Univ Texas, Dept Human Ecol, Austin, TX 78712 USA.

  Manpower Demonstrat Res Corp, New York, NY 10016 USA.'
article-number: PII S0885-2006(02)00185-0
author: Huston, AC and Chang, YE and Gennetian, L
author-email: achuston@mail.utexas.edu
author_list:
- family: Huston
  given: AC
- family: Chang
  given: YE
- family: Gennetian
  given: L
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.1016/S0885-2006(02)00185-0
eissn: 1873-7706
files: []
issn: 0885-2006
journal: EARLY CHILDHOOD RESEARCH QUARTERLY
keywords: child-care selection; low-income families; parents
keywords-plus: WELFARE-REFORM; SELECTION; CHOICE; MOTHERS
language: English
number: '4'
number-of-cited-references: '48'
pages: 441-469
papis_id: 0f05d525068ea1619706e319ee070e67
ref: Huston2002familyindividual
times-cited: '101'
title: Family and individual predictors of child care use by low-income families in
  different policy contexts
type: article
unique-id: WOS:000180345800004
usage-count-last-180-days: '0'
usage-count-since-2013: '15'
volume: '17'
web-of-science-categories: Education \& Educational Research; Psychology, Developmental
year: '2002'