PIECING TOGETHER CHILD-CARE WITH MULTIPLE ARRANGEMENTS - CRAZY-QUILT OR PREFERRED PATTERN FOR EMPLOYED PARENTS OF PRESCHOOL-CHILDREN

This study uses data on 469 employed mothers from the 1987 National Survey of Families and Households to examine the ways both single and married mothers of preschoolers combine child care arrangements for preschool children and what factors affect use of multiple versus single child care arrangements. Married mothers on average use fewer hours of care from fathers and relatives than do single mothers, but both fathers and relatives provide a substantial proportion of the total hours of child care in multiple care combinations. Logistic regression analyses find that mothers with a varying work schedule, those who work more than 40 hours per week, those with more education, and those in families with the father as main child care provider are more likely to use multiple care arrangements. Mothers working less than 20 hours per week are less likely to use multiple care.