Early Childhood Surveys

The two primary, repeating early childhood surveys are the School Readiness (SR-NHES) and Early Childhood Program Participation (ECPP-NHES or ECE-NHES) surveys. The School Readiness survey was conducted in 1993, with a limited number of questions asked in the Parent-NHES survey of 1999. The Early Childhood Program Participation surveys occurred in 1991, 1995, 2001, and 2005, with a subset of questions also asked in 1999.

ECPP surveys include questions on the following topics:

• children's participation in formal and informal nonparental care and education programs, including
  • relative care
  • non-relative care
  • center-based care
  • Head Start and Early Head start programs
• characteristics of care arrangements, including
  • hours spent in nonparental care
  • time spent in nonparental care
  • numbers of children and care providers in arrangement

The SR surveys include questions on the following topics:

• children's home literacy activities with family members
• school adjustment
• early school experiences

Extensive background and household information was also collected about children and their families.

The next fielding of the SR survey will be in 2007, with the ECPP planned for 2009.

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