Extent and Type of Child Care during the Kindergarten Year and Child Well-Being: A Comparison of Regression and Propensity Score Methods

Amy E. Claessens, Northwestern University

While much research has focused on formal after-school programs and child outcomes, little is known about the relationship between more typical school-age child care experiences and child well-being. In addition, the relationship between child care prior to school entry and child well-being is well documented, but the association between school-age child care and child outcomes is poorly understood. This paper provides one of the first systematic examinations of school-age child care experiences and children’s socioemotional and cognitive well-being using a nationally representative sample of kindergartners. Preliminary results show that almost half of kindergartners spend a portion of their day in child care, but the type of child care, rather than the amount of time in care, relates to child well-being. Extending this analysis, this paper compares estimates from propensity score matching methods to more traditional regression estimates, expanding existing knowledge of the relationship between school-age child care and child outcomes.