Methodologies
One of the outcomes of generating policy-relevant studies has been documentation of the methodologies developed in carrying out the research.
The first of these documents the methods developed to study child care dynamics. A paper from the 1993 Proceedings of the Government Statistics Section of the American Statistical Association describes the rationale, method, and early findings: Emlen and Koren, Estimating child care Demand for Statewide Planning (1993).
A second is a guidebook, developed by the Wellseley Child Care Research Partnership and replicated in Oregon and other states, on how to do the employer study: Parents Receiving Child Care Subsidies: Where Do They Work?. Kumiko Okuyama and Roberta Weber worked closely with researchers who had done the study to create a guidebook to help states do this simple but extremely informative study.
A third methodology guidebook, developed by Deana Grobe with assistance from members of the Child Care Subsidy Dynamics Study Team, is for states who want to replicate a study on the dynamics of child care subsidy use.
A fourth guidebook relates to market rate studies. Oregon has developed and tested a methodology for using child care resource and referral (R&R) data in market rate studies. This guidebook, written by Deana Grobe and associates, is designed to help states implement a market rate study using child care resource and referral data.
Research partnership papers
A number of research partnership papers are designed to help states create policy-relevant child care research.
Most of these papers have come out of small working conferences of the Child Care Policy Research Consortium.
These Residency Roundtables bring together people with expertise on a specific topic for 3 days of work. The Oregon Child Care Research Partnership has developed and managed these Roundtables for the Consortium.
The first product of a Roundtable, Research and Child Care Policy: A View from the States, builds on a Consortium survey that found limited use of research in developing child care policy. The paper includes an examination of factors that limit the relevance of research for policy-making and a set of strategies to develop a solid research base for state child care policy-making.
One of the strategies recommended in this paper became the focus of another Roundtable on how to use child care research partnerships to create policy-relevant research.
Accountability
Developing tools for integrating accountability into the child care system continues to be central to the Partnership. Relying on the expertise of Clara Pratt at Oregon State University, the Oregon Partnership worked with other Consortium partners to produce a guidebook for integrating results accountability in child care using child care resource and referral as the example.
Community planning
A related strategy focuses on community planning. Aphra Katzev of Oregon State University headed a group that developed a strategic planning guide for communities working to increase quality early childhood care and education.
Publications
Explore publications associated with tools for state child care policy research.