Survey On The Demand For Childcare Services For Parents Of 0-3Years Old In Urban Areas

With the implementation of the universal two-child policy,although it alleviates the pressure from the aging population,it also brings the supply pressure and strong demand for childcare services.For urban residents,parenting is no longer possible to continue the traditional rural grandparents parenting model,parenting specialization and socialization are inevitable trends,in the face of strong expectations of childcare,what are the characteristics of urban families with childcare demands under the two-child policy? What are the specific manifestations of parents’ demand for childcare services? How should the government and other relevant departments and units and the market provide childcare services so as to reasonably meet the demands of parents? In view of the current urban families,especially the dual-earner families,they are faced with the three challenges of "difficult parenting","expensive parenting" and "parenting worries",this research with the method of interview and questionnaire survey,understand the city region 0 to 3 years old children parents demand for nursery service characteristics,discusses its characteristics and influencing factors,for the nursery institution establishment and nursery system construction to provide feasible suggestions.Based on relevant literature review,this study formed the initial questionnaire on the basis of interviews and open questionnaires.A formal questionnaire was formed through questionnaire distribution,data sorting and analysis and reliability and validity test.The formal questionnaire collected data through stratified sampling survey in the main urban areas of three cities in a province.SPSS was used for data analysis and the following characteristics were found:1.Parents of children aged 0-3 years have a strong overall demand for childcare,with a total average demand value of 4.45.The age of the parents is mainly between30 and 40 years old,with junior college and bachelor’s degree as the main educationbackground,enterprises,undertakings and technical occupations as the main career background,and mothers and grandparents as the main family care outside institutions.2.The order of urban parents’ demand for childcare services is as follows:environment and facilities(M=4.73),teacher professionalism(M=4.73),early education(M=4.58),family guidance(M=4.43),nursing care(M=4.41),and convenience services(M=3.73).3.Parents of children aged 0-3 years have diversified demands for childcare services,including environment and facilities,nursing care,early education,teachers’ professionalism,convenience services and family guidance,which involve the demands of monthly age,type and cost of childcare.4.Parents of 0-3 years old have complex demands for childcare services.There are significant differences in total demand for childcare and various dimensions in terms of children’s monthly age,parents’ age,education background,family monthly income,family structure and housing conditions.There are no significant differences in children’s gender,ranking and main types of caregivers.5.The relationship between childcare demand and supply is complex,which is mainly reflected in three aspects: supply reality and demand ideality,supply unity and demand pluralism,supply stratification and demand popularization.The rigid demand,diversity,commonness and individuality of demand,and relationship between supply and demand are discussed.The following Suggestions are made for the childcare policy for children aged 0-3 years in urban areas: delaying the demand for nursery care;Ensure rigid demand;Satisfy the common needs and pay attention to the individual needs;Increase public investment and reduce the burden on families;Strengthen quality supervision and control to ease worries.