Parental Search and Selection of Child Care and Early Education: A Literature Review. OPRE Report 2024-082

Families commonly make decisions about child care and early education (CCEE). CCEE supports children's learning and parents' work and education. Families may use CCEE in a child care center, home, or school setting. They may use a licensed program or relatives, friends, or neighbors to provide care. To support families who are looking for CCEE, the federal government provides funding to states, territories, and Tribes through the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) to design and implement consumer education activities. These activities are designed to help parents more easily access information about CCEE and available providers in their area, so they can make more informed decisions. In response to policy actions, researchers have examined questions related to how parents search for and select CCEE. This literature review report summarizes findings across recent publications. This literature review report was developed as part of the Consumer Education and Parental Choice in Early Care and Education project. This report summarizes research published from 2012 to 2021 on how parents look for and select CCEE. The report identifies key findings and areas for future research.