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Missing out on What Matters: Early Care and Education Quality and Stability Gaps for Children in Foster Care

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Title: Missing out on What Matters: Early Care and Education Quality and Stability Gaps for Children in Foster Care
Language: English
Authors: Sheila Smith, Maribel Granja, Kirby Chow, Nicola Conners Edge, Nicholas Ortiz, Nancy Perez, SRI Education, Arkansas Department of Education, Office of Early Childhood (DESE/OEC), National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP), University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), Arkansas Department of Human Services, Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS)
Source: SRI International. 2025.
Availability: SRI International. 333 Ravenswood Avenue, Menlo Park, CA 94025. Tel: 650-859-2000; e-mail: customer.service@sri.com; Web site: https://www.sri.com/
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 9
Publication Date: 2025
Sponsoring Agency: Administration for Children and Families (ACF) (DHHS), Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE)
Contract Number: HHS2022ACFOPRE90YEO289
Document Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Descriptors: Foster Care, Early Childhood Education, Child Care, Educational Quality, Educational Vouchers, Early Intervention, Parent Attitudes, Childhood Needs, Student Mobility, Access to Education, Program Effectiveness
Geographic Terms: Arkansas
Abstract: The Arkansas Office of Early Childhood is collaborating with SRI International, the National Center for Children in Poverty, and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences to learn about the supply, quality, and stability of early care and education (ECE) for children in foster care, as well as factors that promote or reduce access to high-quality ECE. This brief presents key findings about the quality of ECE programs that Arkansas children in foster care enroll in and the stability of their participation in these programs. The project team used a mixed-methods approach, drawing on administrative data analysis, a foster parent survey, and focus groups and interviews with foster parents and ECE providers. Key findings from this brief include: (1) Nearly half of children in foster care received a child care voucher to attend an ECE program; (2) Children in foster care were less likely than their non-foster care peers to participate in higher quality ECE programs, and a low proportion of children in foster care attended state-funded prekindergarten or Head Start/Early Head Start programs; (3) Most foster parents expressed positive perceptions of the ECE programs their children in foster care attended, but many expressed concerns about program quality and alignment with their children's unique needs; and (4) Children in foster care were more likely than their non-foster care peers to experience less stable child care, participating in multiple ECE programs over the course of a year. The brief also shares recommendations for state leaders seeking to improve access to ECE for young children in foster care.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: ED677423
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
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  Data: Missing out on What Matters: Early Care and Education Quality and Stability Gaps for Children in Foster Care
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sheila+Smith%22">Sheila Smith</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Maribel+Granja%22">Maribel Granja</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kirby+Chow%22">Kirby Chow</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Nicola+Conners+Edge%22">Nicola Conners Edge</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Nicholas+Ortiz%22">Nicholas Ortiz</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Nancy+Perez%22">Nancy Perez</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22SRI+Education%22">SRI Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Arkansas+Department+of+Education%2C+Office+of+Early+Childhood+%28DESE%2FOEC%29%22">Arkansas Department of Education, Office of Early Childhood (DESE/OEC)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22National+Center+for+Children+in+Poverty+%28NCCP%29%22">National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22University+of+Arkansas+for+Medical+Sciences+%28UAMS%29%22">University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Arkansas+Department+of+Human+Services%2C+Division+of+Children+and+Family+Services+%28DCFS%29%22">Arkansas Department of Human Services, Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS)</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22SRI+International%22"><i>SRI International</i></searchLink>. 2025.
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  Data: SRI International. 333 Ravenswood Avenue, Menlo Park, CA 94025. Tel: 650-859-2000; e-mail: customer.service@sri.com; Web site: https://www.sri.com/
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  Data: N
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  Data: 9
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: Administration for Children and Families (ACF) (DHHS), Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education%22">Early Childhood Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foster+Care%22">Foster Care</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education%22">Early Childhood Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Child+Care%22">Child Care</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Quality%22">Educational Quality</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Vouchers%22">Educational Vouchers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Early+Intervention%22">Early Intervention</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Parent+Attitudes%22">Parent Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Childhood+Needs%22">Childhood Needs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Mobility%22">Student Mobility</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Access+to+Education%22">Access to Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Program+Effectiveness%22">Program Effectiveness</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Arkansas%22">Arkansas</searchLink>
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  Data: The Arkansas Office of Early Childhood is collaborating with SRI International, the National Center for Children in Poverty, and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences to learn about the supply, quality, and stability of early care and education (ECE) for children in foster care, as well as factors that promote or reduce access to high-quality ECE. This brief presents key findings about the quality of ECE programs that Arkansas children in foster care enroll in and the stability of their participation in these programs. The project team used a mixed-methods approach, drawing on administrative data analysis, a foster parent survey, and focus groups and interviews with foster parents and ECE providers. Key findings from this brief include: (1) Nearly half of children in foster care received a child care voucher to attend an ECE program; (2) Children in foster care were less likely than their non-foster care peers to participate in higher quality ECE programs, and a low proportion of children in foster care attended state-funded prekindergarten or Head Start/Early Head Start programs; (3) Most foster parents expressed positive perceptions of the ECE programs their children in foster care attended, but many expressed concerns about program quality and alignment with their children's unique needs; and (4) Children in foster care were more likely than their non-foster care peers to experience less stable child care, participating in multiple ECE programs over the course of a year. The brief also shares recommendations for state leaders seeking to improve access to ECE for young children in foster care.
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    Languages:
      – Text: English
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      Pagination:
        PageCount: 9
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Foster Care
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Early Childhood Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Child Care
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Quality
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      – SubjectFull: Educational Vouchers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Early Intervention
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      – SubjectFull: Parent Attitudes
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      – SubjectFull: Childhood Needs
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      – SubjectFull: Student Mobility
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      – SubjectFull: Access to Education
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      – SubjectFull: Program Effectiveness
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      – SubjectFull: Arkansas
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      – TitleFull: Missing out on What Matters: Early Care and Education Quality and Stability Gaps for Children in Foster Care
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