Most Child Care 'Adequate,' Latest Findings in Study Say

By Linda Jacobson

The latest findings from an ongoing federal study of child care don't necessarily provide the public with a lot of new information.

At best, the new research shows, most child care in the United States can still be described as only adequate. But the study does give parents and providers a richer picture of how time spent in care--either organized or informal--affects children.

"This is really the biggest study of development and early experiences that exists," said Margaret T. Owen, one of the researchers and an associate professor of human development at the University...