Kidsdata Advisory, Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health

Highlighting new and noteworthy data from kidsdata.org
The Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health | Aug. 26, 2010

Child Care Availability Falling Short of Potential Demand in CA

Despite a roughly 20 percent increase between 2000 and 2008 in licensed child care facilities and the number of slots within those facilities, licensed child care was available for only 27 percent of California children ages 0-13 with working parents. These are among the key findings from newly available child care data on kidsdata.org. Find more details in a related blog post, Tough Economy May Threaten CA Child Care Supply.

Not all working parents require licensed child care, but the potential demand for child care still far outweighs supply in California. Finding licensed care that’s accessible and affordable can be a major challenge for parents, especially during an economic downturn. High-quality child care is integral to children’s well being; it can support their social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development, serving as a foundation for early learning experiences.

Find Child Care Data for Your County:

Availability of Child Care: For Potential Demand | By Facility’s Schedule and Type
Number of Child Care Slots in Licensed Facilities, by Type of Facility
Number of Licensed Child Care Facilities , by Type of Facility
Summary of Available Data

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Key Facts

Almost 10 percent of parents statewide request child care during the evenings or weekends, according to the 2009 California Child Care Portfolio, but only 1-2 percent of licensed centers offer this type of care.

While family child care homes are more likely than centers to provide care during evenings or weekends, they represent only about a third of the licensed child care slots in the state.

In 2008, licensed child care in California was available for 27 percent of children ages 0-13 with working parents. Of course, not all children with working parents need licensed care; some may be cared for by family members, nannies, or others.

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Use These Data in Your Work

Kidsdata.org is a free, public service that provides hundreds of indicators of child health and well being for all cities, counties, and school districts in California. You can use these data, as well as related economic and demographic data, in reports, presentations, proposals, advocacy work, program or policy planning, or other efforts.

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Kidsdata.org is designed to benefit everyone working on behalf of children and youth in California. To help others learn about this valuable resource, you can:

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Also Available from Kidsdata.org

Commentary & Questions: Data Points Blog | Your Data Questions | How Do You Use Kidsdata.org?
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Kidsdata.org is a program of the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health, which uses data to promote the health and well being of children.