Wendland, Jaqueline
Parental expectations and the influence of childcare type on infants’ social and linguistic development: A comparative study of childcare centers and parental care
- 2019.
28
A growing number of children are attending an extrafamilial childcare center from a very early age. The choice of childcare type is driven not only by socioeconomic factors but also by parental expectations. In the present study, we examined parental expectations about childcare type and the influence of childcare type (childcare center or parental care at home) on the social and linguistic development of two groups of children aged six months to three years. In both groups, a substantial number of parents considered that center-based childcare promotes child socialization and development. However, the results showed that children cared for by their parents at home had significantly better social development than children attending childcare centers. Also, children who joined the childcare center later or who spent fewer hours in the center showed better social skills. However, no significant difference between groups was found regarding linguistic development. It appears important to explore in more depth the individual and contextual characteristics involved in these two childcare types.