ChildStats.gov—Forum on Child and Family Statistics
faces of children
Home  |  About the Forum  |  Publications  |  Data Sources  |  Help
Search
FAM3.A Child care: Primary child care arrangements for children ages 0–4 with employed mothers by selected characteristics, selected years 1985–2005 and summer 2006

excel icon FAM3A Excel Table

Type of child care (during mother’s work hours) 1985 1988 1990 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2002 2005 2006a
Percent
Total
Mother careb 8.1 7.6 6.4 8.7 6.2 5.4 3.2 3.0 3.2 4.4 2.5
Father careb 15.7 15.1 16.5 20.0 15.9 16.6 17.7 17.1 17.5 17.3 12.8
Grandparent care 15.9 13.9 14.3 15.8 17.0 15.9 17.5 19.7 18.6 19.6 13.4
Other relative carec 8.2 7.2 8.8 7.7 9.0 5.5 7.4 8.0 6.2 6.6 3.8
Center-based cared 23.1 25.8 27.5 23.1 29.9 25.1 20.4 21.0 24.3 23.8 15.8
Other nonrelative caree 28.2 28.9 25.1 23.3 21.6 28.4 20.2 18.8 17.2 16.0 9.6
Otherf 0.8 1.6 1.3 1.6 1.1 2.9 13.7 12.4 13.0 12.0 42.0
Poverty status
Below 100% poverty
Mother careb — 11.3 — 9.5 8.1 4.5 3.9 2.9 4.1 7.8 1.2
Father careb — 15.0 — 26.7 16.2 20.1 18.7 14.5 19.9 19.8 13.6
Grandparent care — 19.4 — 16.3 20.0 22.4 20.7 23.8 19.7 19.8 16.2
Other relative carec — 11.3 — 11.4 15.8 7.0 12.3 13.5 10.0 8.8 4.8
Center-based cared — 21.6 — 21.1 21.0 25.8 14.9 18.3 15.9 18.2 12.2
Other nonrelative caree — 21.1 — 15.1 18.8 16.5 14.7 18.0 12.6 11.8 4.6
Otherf — 0.8 — 2.7 1.2 3.5 14.6 8.8 17.6 13.7 47.3
100% poverty and above
Mother careb — 7.3 — 8.5 5.9 5.5 3.1 2.9 3.1 3.8 2.5
Father careb — 15.1 — 19.4 16.0 16.4 17.7 17.6 17.3 17.1 12.7
Grandparent care — 13.4 — 15.6 16.0 15.1 17.2 19.3 18.7 19.7 13.2
Other relative carec — 6.8 — 7.3 8.0 5.3 6.8 7.3 5.7 6.2 3.7
Center-based cared — 27.8 — 25.1 32.3 24.8 21.2 21.1 25.1 24.8 16.4
Other nonrelative caree — 29.6 — 24.2 21.8 29.9 20.9 19.4 18.4 16.7 10.3
Otherf — 1.6 — 1.5 1.1 2.8 12.9 12.2 11.7 11.4 41.2
Regiong
Northeast
Mother careb — — — — — 5.3 2.7 2.3 2.9 3.5 1.2
Father careb — — — — — 22.4 19.0 21.5 21.4 19.3 15.7
Grandparent care — — — — — 12.9 19.2 18.7 18.8 20.6 15.1
Other relative carec — — — — — 8.0 9.9 7.3 4.4 5.0 3.2
Center-based cared — — — — — 24.4 15.9 18.4 24.5 23.2 15.6
Other nonrelative caree — — — — — 23.9 19.9 17.9 14.7 15.9 8.5
Otherf — — — — — 3.0 13.2 13.7 13.1 12.3 40.4
South
Mother careb — — — — — 4.3 3.0 3.3 2.1 4.2 2.5
Father careb — — — — — 9.3 13.9 12.9 13.4 14.1 10.0
Grandparent care — — — — — 17.1 18.1 21.8 20.9 20.9 12.5
Other relative carec — — — — — 5.3 5.7 7.6 7.8 6.5 3.3
Center-based cared — — — — — 30.7 27.7 26.8 28.0 28.0 17.4
Other nonrelative caree — — — — — 30.0 18.2 18.1 15.9 13.0 8.3
Otherf — — — — — 3.1 13.4 9.3 11.8 13.1 45.9
Midwest
Mother careb — — — — — 6.3 3.3 2.0 3.5 5.4 2.9
Father careb — — — — — 19.1 22.2 20.3 21.6 18.7 14.8
Grandparent care — — — — — 15.4 15.6 16.3 15.9 17.1 12.2
Other relative carec — — — — — 5.0 8.0 6.6 3.6 6.5 4.8
Center-based cared — — — — — 21.1 16.8 19.9 20.7 21.7 16.3
Other nonrelative caree — — — — — 30.9 22.2 24.0 22.6 19.4 11.7
Otherf — — — — — 2.0 11.7 10.9 11.9 11.0 37.1
West
Mother careb — — — — — 5.6 3.8 3.9 4.9 4.3 2.9
Father careb — — — — — 18.5 17.9 17.0 17.8 19.9 13.1
Grandparent care — — — — — 17.5 17.9 21.4 18.3 19.5 14.9
Other relative carec — — — — — 4.1 7.6 10.5 8.1 8.1 4.0
Center-based cared — — — — — 23.1 17.4 15.5 19.9 19.7 13.0
Other nonrelative caree — — — — — 27.2 20.7 16.7 17.1 17.5 10.2
Otherf — — — — — 3.8 14.6 14.8 14.0 10.9 41.6
Race and Hispanic origin of motherh
White
Mother careb — — — — — 5.8 3.7 3.2 3.5 4.8 2.8
Father careb — — — — — 17.8 18.7 18.1 18.4 18.4 13.8
Grandparent care — — — — — 15.5 16.5 17.7 17.9 19.2 13.6
Other relative carec — — — — — 4.5 6.5 7.6 4.9 5.5 3.5
Center-based cared — — — — — 24.3 19.8 20.1 23.2 22.4 15.5
Other nonrelative caree — — — — — 29.0 21.2 20.9 18.4 17.7 10.5
Otherf — — — — — 2.9 13.6 12.1 13.5 12.4 40.3
White, non-Hispanic
Mother careb — — — — — 6.1 4.0 3.2 3.7 4.9 3.1
Father careb — — — — — 17.6 18.9 18.1 19.1 19.3 14.0
Grandparent care — — — — — 15.4 15.3 17.0 16.5 17.5 13.7
Other relative carec — — — — — 4.0 5.7 6.2 3.6 3.8 2.7
Center-based cared — — — — — 24.8 21.0 22.2 24.3 24.5 16.4
Other nonrelative caree — — — — — 29.4 21.1 21.3 19.6 17.7 11.0
Otherf — — — — — 2.7 13.9 12.0 13.3 12.0 38.9
Black
Mother careb — — — — — 2.1 0.7 1.8 1.2 3.1 0.7
Father careb — — — — — 8.8 11.9 12.9 13.5 12.3 7.2
Grandparent care — — — — — 16.0 23.7 25.1 21.6 19.5 10.3
Other relative carec — — — — — 9.9 13.2 10.6 12.6 10.9 5.8
Center-based cared — — — — — 32.5 25.8 27.0 27.4 29.6 17.9
Other nonrelative caree — — — — — 28.3 14.3 13.1 14.3 13.3 6.4
Otherf — — — — — 2.3 10.2 9.4 9.2 11.1 51.4
Black, non-Hispanic
Mother careb — — — — — 2.2 0.8 1.9 1.2 3.3 0.7
Father careb — — — — — 8.9 11.7 12.4 13.2 11.9 6.9
Grandparent care — — — — — 15.7 23.9 24.4 22.9 19.5 10.1
Other relative carec — — — — — 10.1 13.0 10.9 12.0 11.3 6.0
Center-based cared — — — — — 33.2 26.4 27.5 27.0 29.5 18.3
Other nonrelative caree — — — — — 27.9 13.9 13.5 13.7 13.2 6.6
Otherf — — — — — 1.9 10.3 9.3 9.9 11.2 51.0
Hispanic
Mother careb — — — — — 3.6 1.3 2.6 2.7 3.4 1.6
Father careb — — — — — 19.0 17.5 18.6 15.1 14.7 12.6
Grandparent care — — — — — 17.0 23.2 21.9 23.9 27.0 14.5
Other relative carec — — — — — 8.7 12.6 14.0 12.0 12.8 5.8
Center-based cared — — — — — 20.8 12.4 10.9 19.8 14.2 12.3
Other nonrelative caree — — — — — 25.0 21.7 18.2 13.9 14.2 7.8
Otherf — — — — — 5.8 11.4 13.6 12.6 13.7 45.4
Educational attainment of mother
Less than High School
Mother careb — — — — — 6.3 3.6 1.7 4.1 5.4 2.1
Father careb — — — — — 18.2 17.5 14.4 19.2 22.3 10.7
Grandparent care — — — — — 21.2 18.4 23.4 15.5 16.7 19.1
Other relative carec — — — — — 10.8 15.2 20.7 12.0 15.4 9.4
Center-based cared — — — — — 16.9 12.7 16.3 17.5 12.0 6.0
Other nonrelative caree — — — — — 20.8 17.3 13.5 17.4 11.7 7.1
Otherf — — — — — 4.8 15.2 9.9 14.2 16.2 45.3
High School Diploma or equivalent
Mother careb — — — — — 5.6 2.1 3.5 2.5 4.1 2.4
Father careb — — — — — 16.6 19.0 20.3 19.7 16.6 12.1
Grandparent care — — — — — 20.5 20.3 23.5 23.2 25.7 16.2
Other relative carec — — — — — 5.4 7.8 7.9 6.0 9.4 4.9
Center-based cared — — — — — 25.7 18.1 18.8 20.0 18.4 11.5
Other nonrelative caree — — — — — 23.2 19.0 14.2 14.5 13.0 6.9
Otherf — — — — — 2.6 13.6 11.7 13.9 12.7 45.8
Some College, including vocational/technical/an associate degree
Mother careb — — — — — 4.9 3.5 1.9 3.2 4.3 1.6
Father careb — — — — — 18.4 19.3 16.7 19.3 17.7 12.8
Grandparent care — — — — — 14.2 18.5 20.1 20.8 21.9 13.2
Other relative carec — — — — — 5.8 7.1 7.4 7.5 6.6 4.3
Center-based cared — — — — — 25.6 22.1 18.6 23.2 23.8 13.7
Other nonrelative caree — — — — — 27.7 16.6 21.1 15.3 15.5 9.3
Otherf — — — — — 3.1 12.8 14.1 10.6 10.1 44.9
Bachelor's degree or higher
Mother careb — — — — — 5.2 3.7 4.0 3.5 4.6 3.4
Father careb — — — — — 14.4 14.9 15.7 13.7 16.6 13.6
Grandparent care — — — — — 11.4 13.5 14.4 13.9 13.1 10.9
Other relative carec — — — — — 3.4 5.0 4.0 3.4 2.7 1.5
Center-based cared — — — — — 26.0 23.5 27.5 29.9 30.5 22.4
Other nonrelative caree — — — — — 36.9 26.6 24.4 22.6 19.9 12.1
Otherf — — — — — 2.3 12.6 9.9 13.0 12.7 35.9
Family structure
Two married parents
Mother careb — — — — — 6.2 3.7 3.4 3.5 4.9 2.9
Father careb — — — — — 18.7 20.6 19.9 20.6 19.5 13.5
Grandparent care — — — — — 14.4 14.7 16.4 17.3 17.6 11.6
Other relative carec — — — — — 4.8 6.0 6.4 4.7 4.8 2.4
Center-based cared — — — — — 23.0 19.6 20.7 22.7 24.0 16.8
Other nonrelative caree — — — — — 29.4 20.9 19.7 17.2 16.3 10.1
Otherf — — — — — 3.1 14.4 13.4 13.8 12.7 42.5
Mother only
Mother careb — — — — — 2.8 1.5 1.9 2.5 3.0 1.4
Father careb — — — — — 10.4 9.1 10.1 9.8 12.1 11.0
Grandparent care — — — — — 20.5 26.6 29.1 22.7 24.5 18.1
Other relative carec — — — — — 7.2 12.3 12.2 10.2 11.0 7.5
Center-based cared — — — — — 30.3 23.1 21.5 27.0 23.4 13.0
Other nonrelative caree — — — — — 26.1 17.7 17.6 18.4 15.6 8.4
Otherf — — — — — 2.4 9.5 7.4 9.2 10.2 40.3
— Not available.
a SIPP child care data collected in 2006 cannot be compared directly with SIPP child care data from previous years due to seasonality differences such as preschool closings, seasonal variations in school activities, and availability of child care arrangements. The 2006 child care data was collected during summer months, whereas previous survey years typically collected data during spring or fall months.
b Mother and father care includes care while the mother worked.
c Other relatives include siblings and other relatives.
d Center-based care includes day care centers, nursery schools, preschools, and Head Start programs.
e Other nonrelative care includes family day care providers, in-home babysitters, and other nonrelatives providing care in either the child's or provider's home.
f Other for 1985–1993 includes children in kindergarten or grade school, in a school-based activity, or in self care. In 1995, it also includes children with no regular arrangement. Beginning in 1997, other includes children in kindergarten or grade school, self-care, and with no regular arrangement, but does not include school-based activities, as they were deleted as categorical choices for preschoolers.
g Regions: Northeast includes CT, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, and VT. South includes AL, AR, DC, DE, FL, GA, KY, LA, MD, MS, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA, and WV. Midwest includes IA, IL, IN, KS, MI, MN, MO, ND, NE, OH, SD, and WI. West includes AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR, UT, WA, and WY.
h For race and Hispanic-origin data in this table: From 1995 to 2002, following the 1977 OMB standards for collecting and presenting data on race, the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) asked respondents to choose one race from the following: White, Black, American Indian or Alaskan Native, or Asian or Pacific Islander. The Census Bureau also offered an "Other" category. Beginning in 2004, following the 1997 OMB standards for collecting and presenting data on race, the SIPP asked respondents to choose one or more races from the following: White, Black or African American, Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. The Census Bureau also offered an "Other" category. All race groups discussed in this table from 2004 onward refer to people who indicated only one racial identity within the racial categories presented. People who responded to the question on race by indicating only one race are referred to as the race-alone population. The use of the race-alone population in this table does not imply that it is the preferred method of presenting or analyzing data. Data from 2004 onward are not directly comparable with data from earlier years. Data on race and Hispanic origin are collected separately. Persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race.
NOTE: Employed mothers are those with wage and salary employment or other employment arrangements including contingent work and self-employment. Data for years 1995 to 2005 were proportionately redistributed to account for tied responses for the primary arrangement so that they total to 100 percent and are comparable to earlier years. Data for 2006 was also proportionately redistributed, but is not comparable to earlier years due to seasonality differences.
SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation.