Who cares for the children?

The authors report findings from a national study comparing congregationbased child care programs with other private and public programs. They found that 25% of child care is being provided by congregations, and that congregations are significantly more likely to be serving middle and upper-middle class children who pay flat rate fees, not low income children whose care is subsidized by government programs. The child care staffs of congregation-based centers are more stable, even though there is no significant difference in the salaries in congregation-based programs from other programs. Child care programs offer an array of family support services for young families, from newsletters to family enrichment programs. Authors: Diana R. Garland, Michael E. Sherr, Jon E. Singletary, Angela Dennison