Effects of Experimental Center‐Based Child Care on Developmental Outcomes of Young Children Living in Poverty

Abstract

Using data from the Infant Health and Development Program, this research reports secondary analyses that examine the effects of center‐based child care on children’s cognitive and behavioral outcomes. It focuses on three specific questions: whether maternal employment affects children’s cognitive and behavioral outcomes at the age of three, whether center‐based child care contributes to children’s positive outcomes, and whether maternal employment affects children’s developmental outcomes differently for those who receive quality center‐based care and those who do not. Findings suggest that quality center‐based child‐care services, and their interaction with maternal employment, enhance children’s cognitive and behavioral outcomes.