The Child Trends DataBank

The Child Trends DataBank, a product of Child Trends, contains a wealth of research related to child development and well-being. Findings can be browsed by age or subgroup (child, family or community characteristics).

Each report provides a high-level summary of findings (Headline and Importance), findings over time (Trends), and a number of related discriminators (Differences by Race/Parental Education/Grade). A comprehensive list of references and data sources accompany each report as well.

I found the DataBank while searching for information related to in-home child care (as opposed to center-based) care. Some statistics from the most recent (2005) Child Care report:

Estimates for 1995, 2001 and 2005 show similar patterns and levels of child care for young children (See Table 1). In 2005, 61 percent of children ages 0 to 6 (and not yet in kindergarten) spent time in nonparental care. Twenty-two percent were cared for by a relative, 14 percent by a nonrelative but in a home, and 36 percent in center-based programs (See Figure 1).⁷ Center-based programs may include day care centers, pre-kindergartens, nursery schools, Head Start programs, and other early childhood education programs.

Some other interesting indicators:

• Volunteering: “Youth who volunteer are less likely to become pregnant or to use drugs.
• Overweight Children and Youth: “[S]tudies suggest that belly fat is more dangerous than general body weight.”