The Role of Licensing in Early Care and Education: Licensed Providers

This study aims to advance understanding of the landscape of child care and early education licensing systems. State/territory child care and early education licensing agencies establish and monitor regulations that child care programs serving young children must meet to operate legally. These regulations and monitoring practices play a large role in the operations of child care programs but have received relatively little research attention. The field has limited information about features of state/territory licensing units and limited information about child care and early education providers' experiences and perceptions of licensing (i.e., there are a few findings from individual states but no national survey). Ultimately, TRLECE: Licensed Child Care Providers findings can inform changes to licensing policies and practices in the child care and early education field, guidance and technical assistance to state leaders, and future research.

The investigators will gather information for this descriptive study through a survey of licensed child care provider. This survey is designed to collect information about licensed child care and early education providers' experiences with child care licensing, including regulations and inspections; perceptions of the burden, value, and fairness of the licensing system; and perceived strengths of and challenges with the licensing system. The investigators intend to invite a stratified random sample of directors of center-based programs and family child care providers from all 50 states and the DC to participate and will aim to have 1,000 participants from each group.

Inclusion criteria

• A randomly selected group of directors/owners/managers of licensed child care programs (providers) in all U.S. states and DC

Exclusion criteria

• Individuals who are not directors/owners/managers of licensed child care programs (providers) in all U.S. states and DC