Examining Childcare Instability and Transition Patterns in Low-Income, Urban Neighborhoods in the United States: A Qualitative Study

This study examines why African-American caregivers in low-income urban neighborhoods in the United States transition their children between different childcare arrangements involving relative care, home/family care and center-based care, based on interviews conducted with 40 caregivers from three different childcare centers in one metropolitan region. This study speaks to the importance of planned and forced transitions and their role in fostering instability for young children and their families. Findings highlight the importance caregivers place on finding the most appropriate care arrangements for their children in terms of enhanced educational and socialization opportunities in spite of challenges faced. The number and nature of abrupt transitions, a type of transition introduced in the study, are also indicative of a worrying prevalence of low-quality care in families' low-income, urban neighborhoods. This study underscores the need for ongoing and increasingly focused engagement by advocates to ensure positive outcomes for children. The results demonstrate that childcare instability is a complex, nuanced concept and that future research needs to be attentive to the perspectives of parents and families from low-income backgrounds.