Social Work Speaks Abstracts

Early Childhood Care and Services

Child care is the context in which early development occurs for most children. Despite the fact that most children in the United States spend some time during their early years being cared for by people outside their families, the United States remains the only technologically developed nation that lacks a national policy regarding the early childhood years. Young children’s experiences in child care can dramatically affect their quality of life. The essential elements of high-quality child care are similar to the qualities of good parenting, and both promote positive developmental outcomes. Parental involvement and support are crucial factors in any good early childhood program. NASW supports high-quality child care programs that use the principles of child development and early childhood education and meet the physical, social, emotional, and educational needs of young children and their families in diverse settings.