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Survey: ‘Sketchy’ location No. 1 deal-breaker in child care search

WASHINGTON — Two out of three parents say it’s a struggle to find child care they feel is up to snuff when it comes to health and safety standards, and those concerns are the biggest deal-breakers for most parents choosing a facility.

That’s according to the new nationwide poll of parents conducted by the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital at the University of Michigan.

About 62 percent of a parents said they find it difficult to find child care options that meet their safety standards, and only half of parents said they’re confident they can tell if a facility was actually safe.

Among the biggest deal-breakers cited by survey respondents?

“Seventy percent of parents said it would be a deal-breaker if the location of the facility was in a ‘sketchy’ area or somewhere that just didn’t seem safe,” Sarah Clark, the poll’s co-director, told CBS News.

About 56 percent of respondents said they would not consider a facility with guns on the premise and nearly half — 48 percent — said they would find the presence of adults who aren’t staff members unacceptable in a child care setting.

About 40 percent of parents said they would not consider a facility that allowed unvaccinated children to attend.

What parents prioritize differs depending on the type of facility they’re considering.

For parents seeking child care centers and preschools, the No. 1 factor was safety, according to the survey. That includes whether staff members undergo background checks and whether the front entrance is locked and secured.

Parents looking for in-home child care prioritize healthy food and clean kitchens first, followed by the availability of books and educational toys.

Overall, nine out of 10 parents said they thought in-home child care centers should have the same health and safety standards as other child care facilities.

The survey includes responses from a nationally representative sample of 307 parents who had at least one child between the ages of 1 and 5.

Events like the World Cup can inspire young athletes and put parents on unfamiliar turf

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — Like the Winter Olympics, Masters Tournament and Formula 1 races before it, the World Cup is inspiring some young people to try a new sport and others to imagine themselves on an international stage someday. Researchers even have a name for the motivating influence of major sporting events: the “demonstration effect.” For many parents, though, such excitement can present daily challenges and weighty decisions. How much time and money should families put into a sport a child could outgrow after one season? How can parents tell whether an interest will last? And how can they distinguish between encouragement and too much pressure? Here’s what parents and academic experts say about supporting children in healthy ways and giving them some agency over their participation. Give children the lead in their sports experience
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