Assessment of Military Child Development Program Staffing: Initial Findings Regarding the Workforce. Research Report. RR-A2186-1
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| Title: | Assessment of Military Child Development Program Staffing: Initial Findings Regarding the Workforce. Research Report. RR-A2186-1 |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Lynn A. Karoly, Laura Werber, Laura Bellows, Jonah Kushner, Ashley Woo, Jonas Kempf, RAND National Security Research Division (NRSD) |
| Source: | RAND Corporation. 2025. |
| Availability: | RAND Corporation. P.O. Box 2138, Santa Monica, CA 90407-2138. Tel: 877-584-8642; Tel: 310-451-7002; Fax: 412-802-4981; e-mail: order@rand.org; Web site: http://www.rand.org |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 72 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness (OUSW P&R) (DOD) |
| Document Type: | Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Early Childhood Education Preschool Education |
| Descriptors: | Child Care, Child Caregivers, Military Personnel, Family (Sociological Unit), Child Care Centers, Child Care Occupations, Family Needs, Preschools, Public Education, COVID-19, Pandemics, Enrollment, Educational Background, Teacher Qualifications, Teaching Conditions |
| DOI: | 10.7249/RRA2186-1 |
| Abstract: | The U.S. military has a long-standing commitment to investing in accessible, affordable, and high-quality child care services for its active component, reserve components, and civilian personnel. In support of this objective, the U.S. Department of War's (DOW's) Child Development Program (CDP) represents the largest employer-sponsored child care system in the country. However, in recent years, the CDP has struggled to meet the demand for child care, a trend that predates the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and reflects the challenges of recruiting and retaining a qualified workforce. In light of this issue, RAND researchers developed a project to collect information that will allow DOW to make informed decisions on ways to improve the existing strategies used to recruit, train, develop, compensate, and retain qualified staff within the CDP and to provide the information necessary for DOW leadership to make data-driven decisions regarding additional strategies, policy revisions, and future resource allocations to address the identified staffing challenges. This report from the project's first phase focuses on four study components using a document review and orienting interviews; an analysis of military service personnel and their family demographics; an analysis of administrative data regarding CDP facilities, enrollment, and unmet needs; and an analysis of administrative data on CDP workforce qualifications, compensation, and retention. |
| Abstractor: | ERIC |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | ED680512 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | The U.S. military has a long-standing commitment to investing in accessible, affordable, and high-quality child care services for its active component, reserve components, and civilian personnel. In support of this objective, the U.S. Department of War's (DOW's) Child Development Program (CDP) represents the largest employer-sponsored child care system in the country. However, in recent years, the CDP has struggled to meet the demand for child care, a trend that predates the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and reflects the challenges of recruiting and retaining a qualified workforce. In light of this issue, RAND researchers developed a project to collect information that will allow DOW to make informed decisions on ways to improve the existing strategies used to recruit, train, develop, compensate, and retain qualified staff within the CDP and to provide the information necessary for DOW leadership to make data-driven decisions regarding additional strategies, policy revisions, and future resource allocations to address the identified staffing challenges. This report from the project's first phase focuses on four study components using a document review and orienting interviews; an analysis of military service personnel and their family demographics; an analysis of administrative data regarding CDP facilities, enrollment, and unmet needs; and an analysis of administrative data on CDP workforce qualifications, compensation, and retention. |
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| DOI: | 10.7249/RRA2186-1 |
