Infant and Toddler Child Care

Abstract

This chapter first examines how the most recent research on the effects of early child care on children's development informs the historic debate over the use of nonparental care during the first years of life. It then describes the conflict faced by millions of parents as they struggle with decisions about how best to care for their infants and toddlers in the absence of adequate resources to help them do so. It concludes with policy recommendations to address the sorry state of infant and toddler child care in America and to inform parents better who must rely on child care for their very young children.