Using Existing Large-Scale Data to Study Early Care and Education Among Hispanics: How Hispanic Parents and Children Experience ECE Settings

As part of a larger effort to build research capacity related to early care and education (ECE) issues for low-income Hispanic families, this brief describes data elements specific to the experiences children and families have with ECE providers and programs, including the quality of ECE settings, parental satisfaction, and parents’ experiences coordinating ECE arrangements with employment demands. We discuss the opportunities and limitations represented in existing large-scale data sets in light of current literature and policy priorities, with an emphasis on data elements that may have particular relevance for low-income Hispanic families. Researchers can use this review and associated data tables to select the study, samples, and variables most appropriate for their research questions.