University of New Hampshire Scholars\u27 Repository
Abstract
In this brief, authors Jess Carson and Sarah Boege describe child care use and gaps among respondents to the 2022 New Hampshire Preschool Development Grant Family Needs Assessment Survey. The authors report that three-quarters of responding parents with children under age five had searched for child care in the past 12 months; half reported that their search was difficult, with a lack of openings as the main challenge. Despite these difficulties, three-quarters of respondents with young children reported using some form of regular child care. However, four out of five parents who used care rated their child care arrangement as less than ideal. Survey results, combined with respondents’ write-in responses, suggest that these parents need child care so they can work, and while many are making do, respondents feel a significant shortage of affordable, flexible options to meet their families’ work, care, and education needs
