Every family has different needs and wants when it comes to selecting the childcare that's right for them, however, a report released by the Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority has highlighted some shared feelings and influences amongst parents.
Called 'The Families Qualitative Research Project', this report gathered information from parents via individual, group, and online discussions and highlights some key issues affecting the parents of young children.
How do parents feel about selecting a childcare service?
Overall, parents understand the importance of the early years for their child's development be it cognitive, physical, or emotional, and because of this, they don't treat decisions surrounding childcare lightly.
The report found that parents feel a huge responsibility to choose the care that will support their child's needs, such as providing a loving, nurturing environment, security, and enriching experiences, while taking into account practical matters, like opening hours and fees.
The upshot of this is that choosing childcare is often a 'momentous and stressful decision,' especially if families are using child care services for the first time. Parents reported feeling overwhelmed by the complex and changeable childcare environment, and parents of older children feel the system has become more complex because of:
- The large number and type of services
- Waiting lists and lack of availability
- Fee increases
- Changes to regulatory requirements, e.g. child to educator ratios
- Changes around government funding, i.e. the Child Care Subsidy
- New research around children's development and education
In response, the report sees an underlying need for a 'centralised, comprehensive and impartial information source' to ease family stress going forward. The good news is that here at CareforKids.com.au, we already offer an A-Z of Child Care which is full of helpful info, as well as our freely available Child Care Guide.
Practically speaking, how do parents approach the childcare decision?
The ACECQA report confirms that choosing the right childcare centre or service isn't just about finding an approved provider of childcare that meets the national quality standard in one simple step. Instead, parents must consider the following to find the right child care for their children:
- Whether or not to enrol their child in formal education and care
- What type of care is best for their child
- Which service to use
There are emotional and practical factors to take into account, and once parents decide to seek formal education and care, there are several steps parents take that lead to their final childcare decision.
- Build a list of possible services: based on the local area, budget, word-of-mouth recommendations, and government information.
- Compile a short list: considering quality ratings and pragmatic issues, and taking into account the views of others, such as word-of-mouth opinions, online reviews, and insider information from current or former staff/parents.
- Visit the short-listed centres: a crucial step in deciding if the service will support their child's best interests is to do a local centre tour which involves parents considering things like facilities, procedures, and relationships.
- Apply for a place: many parents put their child's name on two to three lists, sometimes more.
The practical process of finding childcare is a daunting task and comes with mixed emotions, and parents have reported feeling:
- Stressed, worried, confused, or guilty at the list-building stage
- Determined, optimistic, frustrated, or disappointed at the short-list stage
- Unsure, impressed, hopeful, confident, clear, or excited after visiting a service
- Nervous, stressed, impatient, or concerned while on the waitlist
- Relieved, thankful, happy, or guilty when their child was offered a place
Are parents influenced by third parties when choosing childcare?
They sure are! Although it is the child's parents who are making the decision, this report shows that mums and dads are strongly influenced by other parents, whether that's a trusted friend from the mother's group or a mummy blogger they've never met, industry insiders, such as a current educator or a former teacher as well as family members, particularly when choosing the type of care.
The report confirms that word-of-mouth plays an important part in decision-making and that parents generally value information that is recent, consistent, and knowledge-based. Somewhat surprisingly, parents say they trust government sources of information (like websites), but rarely seek it out, except at the initial fact-finding stage.
What is the main clincher when it comes to parents making childcare decisions?
Although there's no doubt that parents are influenced by others, this report shows that mums and dads rely most strongly on their own judgment. When choosing childcare, they are interested in quality, which includes things like clean and safe facilities, qualified carers, and enriching activities, and parents overwhelmingly prioritise their child's wellbeing. All-in-all, parents are looking for quality early education and childcare service that will:
- Support their child's physical well-being and safety (this is seen as essential)
- Support their child's emotional well-being and sense of belonging
- Support their child's early learning, developmental well-being, and growth
- Support and encourage families and the community by providing links between the service, families, and the community
- Support organisational well-being by exhibiting stability in management, processes, and governance
Where can you find more information about the ACECQA report?
The Families Qualitative Research Project report contains some interesting diagrams, along with opportunities and recommendations, and remember CareforKids.com.au has been supporting families to find high-quality early childhood education and care since 2003! We know our stuff and have a library of up-to-date information to help you with all your childcare choices.
