Spatial Accessibility
2023-8-7
Variation in child care access across neighborhood types: A two-step floating catchment area (2SFCA) approach
This paper examines variation in child care access across neighborhoods in California, finding lower access in rural areas and new suburban developments compared to more established urban neighborhoods.
Abstract:
Finding safe and high-quality child care is critical to working parents. However, research suggests that formal child care—both family child care and center-based child care—is in short supply in the U.S. We hypothesize that compared to urban neighborhoods, child care access will be lower in outlying suburban neighborhoods with newer and less developed social infrastructure. Applying the 2SFCA method, we predict variation in the supply of child care relative to demand—a measure of child care access—across California neighborhoods that vary by geography as well as sociodemographic and employment characteristics. Similar to prior research, we find that percent Latinx of a neighborhood is associated with lower child care access. In terms of neighborhood type, as we predict, we find that child care access is lower in newly developed suburban areas compared to most other neighborhood types. This finding suggests the importance of incentives to create formal child care facilities in new suburbs, neighborhoods that house a quarter of all young children in the state.
Summary:
- Study examines child care access across CA neighborhoods varying in geography and demographics
- Uses 2-step floating catchment area (2SFCA) method to measure child care access
- Finds lower access in rural and new suburban developments compared to urban neighborhoods
- Latinx percentage associated with lower access; Asian percentage with higher access
- Dual-working parents positively associated with access
- New developments likely have lower access due to lack of child care infrastructure
- Suggests policies to support child care in new suburbs through subsidies and assistance
Study questions and answers:
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is the study’s main finding regarding neighborhood types and child care access? | Child care access is lower in rural neighborhoods and new suburban developments compared to more established urban neighborhoods. |
| How was child care access measured in the study? | Using a 2-step floating catchment area (2SFCA) method to calculate child care capacity relative to estimated demand. |
| What demographic factors were associated with lower child care access? | Higher percentages of Latinx residents. |
| What factors were associated with higher child care access? | Higher percentages of Asian residents and dual-working parents. |
| Why did the authors hypothesize lower access in new suburbs? | Lack of child care infrastructure and unmet demand due to rapid population growth. |