Appendix C 2024 NSECE Unlisted Home-based Provider Survey Contact Materials

Unlisted Home-based Provider Survey Initial Mailing Series - Survey Invitation: First contact with eligible unlisted home-based providers introducing them to the study and asking them to complete the web survey. This contact will be sent by mail and email.

Dear [FNAME] [LNAME]/Child Care Provider,

We need your help with an important study about how we care for children in the United States. A member of your household recently participated in this study, and you were identified as an individual who looks after children who are not your own. We would like to ask you some follow-up questions in order to better understand the need for and availability of early care and education for children in your community.

We have enclosed a small token of appreciation to thank you in advance for your cooperation. You will receive a $15 token of appreciation for completing the questionnaire.

This study is conducted by the NORC at the University of Chicago on behalf of the Administration for Children and Families, of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The questionnaire will take about 20 minutes to complete. Participation is voluntary and your responses will be kept private. You can skip any question or stop the questionnaire at any time.

Please complete the online questionnaire at [SURVEY URL] or scan the QR code.

To access your questionnaire, you will need to enter your unique PIN: [PIN]

If you have questions or need help completing your survey, please call [PLACEHOLDER] or email [email protected]. To help facilitate your participation, a professional NORC interviewer is also available to answer any additional questions. You can also learn more about the study online at http://www.nsece.norc.org.

Individuals like you play a critical role in caring for our nation’s children. Your responses will help improve support for the care of children in your area. We need your help to make this study a success.

We hope you will decide to take part.

Sincerely,

A. Rupa Datta, Ph.D.

2024 NSECE Project Director

NORC at the University of Chicago

Shape1

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for this information collection is [PLACEHOLDER] and the expiration date is [PLACEHOLDER - MM/DD/YEAR]. Please send comments regarding the time required for this survey or any other aspect of the described information collection to: NORC at the University of Chicago, 55 E Monroe St, Ste 3000, Chicago, IL, 60603, Attention: A. Rupa Datta

Para español por favor llámenos al [PLACEHOLDER]

Unlisted Home-based Provider Survey Initial Mailing Series - Thank you/Reminder Postcard: Second contact with eligible unlisted home-based providers encouraging them to complete the home-based provider questionnaire. This mailing occurs one week after the first contact attempt.

You’re Invited!

Dear [FNAME] [LNAME]/Child Care Provider,

We recently sent you a letter asking you to complete a questionnaire to help us understand how we care for children in the United States. Your response will help public and local agencies better understand where more support is needed for early care and education in your area.

The questionnaire will take about 20 minutes. To thank you for your participation, you will receive a $15 token of appreciation for completing the questionnaire.

If you have already completed this questionnaire, thank you! If not, we ask you complete it as soon as possible. You can access the questionnaire by typing the secure URL into the browser of any computer or mobile device and entering your PIN.

If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected] or [PLACEHOLDER].

Thank you!

Shape2

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for this information collection is [PLACEHOLDER] and the expiration date is [PLACEHOLDER]. Please send comments regarding the time required for this survey or any other aspect of the described information collection to: NORC at the University of Chicago, 55 E Monroe St, Ste 3000, Chicago, IL, 60603, Attention: A. Rupa Datta

Thank you for helping [STATE] kids!

Para español por favor llámenos al [PLACEHOLDER]

Complete the questionnaire in three easy steps!

1. Visit our us at: [SURVEY URL] or scan the QR code.

Enter your pin [SCRATCH OFF]

3. Complete the questionnaire

Unlisted Home-based Provider Survey Initial Mailing Series - Non-Response Follow-up Contact: Third contact with eligible unlisted home-based providers who have not completed the home-based provider questionnaire. This mailing occurs approximately two weeks after the second contact attempt.

Dear [FNAME] [LNAME]/Child Care Provider,

We have been trying to reach you about participating in the 2024 National Survey of Early Care and Education (NSECE). Recently, a member of your household answered a few questions for this study and you were identified as someone who looks after children who are not your own. We want to hear from you whether you consider yourself a caretaker of children or not.

Please complete the online questionnaire at [SURVEY URL] or scan the QR code.

To access your questionnaire, you will need to enter your unique PIN: [PIN]

Your household was selected for participation in this study from a list of households in your area based on geographic and U.S. census data criteria. You cannot be replaced by someone else. We have been trying to reach you because your responses to this study will help policy makers and local agencies get a clearer picture of early care and education in your area. To thank you for your participation, you will receive a $15 token of appreciation for completing the questionnaire.

Because this survey is so important, a professional interviewer will be contacting you soon to answer any questions you might have and assist you in completing the questionnaire. You can also call [PLACEHOLDER] or email [email protected].

Whether you consider yourself a caregiver or not, individuals like you play a critical role in looking after our nation’s children. Your responses will help inform how public funds are spent to support early care and education of young children and related services.

Thank you very much for your help with this important study.

Thank you,

A. Rupa Datta

2024 NSECE Project Director

NORC at the University of Chicago

Shape3

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for this information collection is [PLACEHOLDER] and the expiration date is [PLACEHOLDER]. Please send comments regarding the time required for this survey or any other aspect of the described information collection to: NORC at the University of Chicago, 55 E Monroe St, Ste 3000, Chicago, IL, 60603, Attention: A. Rupa Datta

Shape4

Para español por favor llámenos al [PLACEHOLDER]

Unlisted Home-based Provider Survey Access Email: Email text included in the NSECE Case Management System. This email is used by field interviewers to send the respondent a survey link with a pin.

Hello [FNAME] [LNAME],

Thank you for your assistance with the 2024 National Survey of Early Care and Education (NSECE). You were identified as an individual who looks after children who are not your own. We would like to ask you some follow-up questions to better understand the need for and availability of early care and education for children in your community.

Please complete the online questionnaire at [SURVEY URL] or scan the QR code.

To access your questionnaire, you will need to enter your unique PIN: [PIN]

NORC at the University of Chicago is conducting this study on behalf of the Administration for Children and Families, of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Your participation is voluntary. The questionnaire will take about 20 minutes, and your responses will be kept private. You have the option to skip any question or end the questionnaire at any time. If you have questions, please call us toll free at [PLACEHOLDER] or email [email protected].

Individuals like you play a critical role in caring for our nation’s children. It is important for us to hear from every selected person to get a complete picture of early care and education services in your area.

We need your help to make this study a success.

Thank you,

A. Rupa Datta, Ph.D.

2024 NSECE Project Director

NORC at the University of Chicago

Shape5

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for this information collection is [PLACEHOLDER] and the expiration date is [PLACEHOLDER]. Please send comments regarding the time required for this survey or any other aspect of the described information collection to: NORC at the University of Chicago, 55 E Monroe St, Ste 3000, Chicago, IL, 60603, Attention: A. Rupa Datta.

Shape6

Para español por favor llámenos al [PLACEHOLDER]

Unlisted Home-based Provider Prompting Contact: Email/Mail text for eligible unlisted home-based providers who have not completed the unlisted home-based provider questionnaire.

Dear [FNAME] [LNAME],

We have been trying to reach you about participating in the 2024 National Survey of Early Care and Education (NSECE). Recently, a member of your household answered a few questions for this study, and you were identified as someone who looks after children who are not your own. We want to hear from you whether you consider yourself a caretaker of children or not. Your response will help policy makers and local agencies get a clearer picture of early care and education in your area.

Your household was selected for participation in this study from a list of households in your area based on geographic and U.S. census data criteria Your household was scientifically selected to take part in this study and cannot be replaced. To thank you for your participation, you will receive a $15 token of appreciation for completing the questionnaire.

Please complete the online questionnaire at [SURVEY URL] or scan the QR code access the website.

To access your questionnaire, you will need to enter your unique PIN: [PIN]

Sincerely,

A. Rupa Datta, Ph.D.

2024 NSECE Project Director

NORC at the University of Chicago

Para español por favor llámenos al [PLACEHOLDER]

Shape7

Unlisted Home-based Provider Break-off Email - Email text for prompts to unlisted home-based providers who began the questionnaire but did not finish.

Dear [FNAME] [LNAME],

We need your help!

Thank you for your interest in the 2024 National Survey of Early Care and Education (NSECE) study. Please take a few minutes today to finish your questionnaire and receive your $15 token of appreciation for participating.

We know that you’re busy, but this study is important. Whether you consider yourself a caregiver or not, individuals like you play a critical role in looking after our nation’s children. Your responses will help inform how public funds are spent to support early care and education of young children and related services.

To begin where you left off, access questionnaire at [SURVEY URL] or by scanning the QR code.

You will need to enter your unique PIN: [PIN]

Your complete response will help ensure that the results of this study are valid and accurate. If you experienced technical difficulties that prevented you from completing the questionnaire, let us know by replying to this message or calling toll-free at [PLACEHOLDER]. We will resolve the issue as soon as possible.

We need your help to make this study a success!

Thank you,

A. Rupa Datta, Ph.D.

NSECE Project Director

NORC at the University of Chicago

Shape8

Shape9

Para español por favor llámenos al [PLACEHOLDER]

Unlisted Home-based Provider Text Messages: Cell phone text for prompts to eligible unlisted home-based providers.

Initial Invite: Make your voice heard and complete the 2024 National Survey of Early Care and Education today. Thanks for agreeing to receive text reminders. Learn more at http://nsece.norc.org. Visit [LINK] and enter [PIN]. Questions? Contact NORC at [PLACEHOLDER] or [PLACEHOLDER]. Reply STOP to opt-out of texts.

Follow up: Complete the 2024 NSECE today! To participate, visit [LINK] and enter [PIN]. Learn more at http://nsece.norc.org. Questions? Contact NORC at [PLACEHOLDER] or [PLACEHOLDER]. Reply STOP to opt-out of texts.

Unlisted Home-based Provider Last Chance Contact: Contact sent to unlisted home-based providers at the tail end of data collection to create a sense of urgency and encourage participation in the final weeks. This contact is formatted as a postcard.

This is the last chance to respond to the NSECE!

You will receive a $15 token of appreciation for participating.

Call or Email us Today!

[PLACERHOLDER] | [email protected]

Why is the 2024 NSECE important?

The NSECE is the only study aimed at better understanding the relationship between families’ needs for early care and education and what child care services are available to them.

The NSECE was first conducted in 2012 and then again in 2019. We have interviewed over 12,000 individuals who were looking after young children in a home setting. These included both individuals who were running a small family child care business and others, like grandparents, neighbors, and other friends and relatives, who were looking after children they had relationships with to help out their family and friends. The NSECE has helped policy makers and local agencies get a clearer understanding of the work caregivers do and how to better support them.

Why are you so important to the NSECE?

The NSECE provides an opportunity for you to share information that will help:

Help develop programs to support caregivers with educational assistance, training, and improved pay and benefits.

Better understand the experiences of family, friends, neighbors and others who look after children and offer opportunities for them to improve their knowledge and skills.

Because such a diverse group of people look after children in a home-based setting, we need to hear from as many selected caregivers as possible to ensure accurate study results.

Shape10

Shape11

Para español por favor llámenos al [PLACEHOLDER]

Unlisted Home-based Provider Thank You Contact: Sent to respondents after completion of the interview to thank them for participation and provide the honorarium. This may be sent by mail or email as needed.

Subject [FOR EMAIL]: Thank You from the NSECE - Enclosed

Dear [FNAME] [LNAME],

We are writing to thank you for your recent participation in the 2024 National Survey of Early Care and Education (NSECE). The survey you completed will provide critical information about the need for and availability of early care and education for children under age 13 in your area.

In appreciation for the time and effort spent answering our questions, we have enclosed a $15 token of appreciation.

If you have any additional questions, you may contact us toll-free at [PLACEHOLDER] or by email at [email protected].

Thank you again for your help with this important research.

Shape12

The NSECE Study Team

Shape13

Para español por favor llámenos al [PLACEHOLDER]

Unlisted Home-based Provider Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): This document provides responses to the most frequently asked questions from unlisted home-based providers. These FAQs are used by field interviewers to answer questions and are included in mail and email contacts.

What is the NSECE?

The National Survey of Early Care and Education is the only study aimed at better understanding the people and programs throughout the country that take care of America’s children and the services that they provide. The study was first conducted in 2012 and again in 2019. We are now collecting new information to inform policies and practices to support early care and education providers.

Who is NORC at the University of Chicago?

NORC at the University of Chicago (NORC) is conducting this study. NORC is an independent, non-partisan research institution that helps federal agencies, decision-makers, and nonprofits make better decisions through data and analysis. For more information about us, please visit www.norc.org.

Who sponsors the study?

The NSECE is sponsored by the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children & Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Administration for Children & Families administers the Head Start program, federally-funded child care subsidies, and a variety of other programs to help regulate and improve child care across the country.

How can I learn more about the NSECE and how the 2012 and 2019 survey data has been used?

More information about the 2012 and 2019 NSECE data and findings can be found at: http://nsece.norc.org.

Why was I selected for this survey?

Your household was scientifically selected from all of the household addresses in the U.S. to participate in this study. It is important for us to hear from every selected household to get a complete picture of the availability and use of early care and education in your area. You represent many other households like yours across the nation and cannot be replaced.

Your participation will help the nation’s policy makers and local agencies get a clearer picture of families’ needs for child care and how to better support working families that rely on child care.

Why do you want to interview me? I’m not a child care provider.

Recently, a member of your household answered a few questions for this study and you were identified as someone who looks after children who are not your own. We want to hear from you whether you consider yourself a caretaker for children or not.

We know that family, friends, neighbors, and others play a critical role in helping working families meet their child care needs, so we would like to hear from you as well to get a complete picture of who is looking after children and how parents manage complex work, school, and family schedules to fill in gaps in child care.

How long does the survey take?

The survey takes about 20 minutes to complete.

What kinds of questions this study will help to answer?

Who is looking after children and what kind of care do they provide?
How do parents balance work and school with child care?
Which families use care provided by family, friends, and neighbors most often and why?

How do I know my information will be kept safe and private?

Answers that could identify you or your program in any way are separated from your other responses. Survey findings are put into summary reports that contain no names or other identifying information. Your name or any identifying information will never be released to the public. This study also has a Federal Certificate of Confidentiality from the government which protects researchers and other staff from being forced to release information that could be used to identify participants in court proceedings.

How do you protect my answers?

We use computing systems, staff training, and strict data access requirements to protect your identity and keep your responses private.

Questionnaire responses and respondent identifying information are stored on a secure server with restricted access.
Only authorized personnel associated with the study will have access to questionnaire responses and respondent identifying information. This access is granted on a need-to-know basis. When this information is no longer needed, then access is shut off.
NORC computing systems use two factor authentication. NORC staff must change their passwords on a regular basis to comply with security requirements.
All NORC staff must pass annual trainings on data security and privacy.
All NORC staff, including interviewers, must sign a pledge to protect your information. If this pledge is broken an employee can lose his/her job and face legal action.

All information that you provide will be kept private to the fullest extent provided by the law. If you have questions about your rights as a study participant, you may call the NORC Institutional Review Board Administrator at 1-877-309-0542.

How do I know this is legitimate?

NSECE has a variety of resources available to verify the legitimacy of the study.

Visit us online at http://nsece.norc.org or at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/project/national-survey-early-care-and-education-2024.

The U.S. Office of Management and Budget has approved this survey ([PLACEHOLDER]). Without this number we could not conduct this survey.

Interviewers visiting in-person will have an NORC badge with a hologram on the back.

Anyone may visit the web page below where the option ‘How to Identify NORC Interviewers’ allows them to type in the NORC interviewer’s ID number to see a photograph of the interviewer: http://www.norc.org/WorkingWithNORC/Pages/survey-participants.aspx.

If you have any other questions, call us toll-free [PLACEHOLDER] or email us at [email protected]

Shape14

Shape15

Para español por favor llámenos al [PLACEHOLDER]

Unlisted Home-based Provider Talking Points: We expect that some participants will require several contacts before they complete the questionnaire. The talking points below allow us to provide respondents with additional information about the study and communicate the importance of their participation. We may use the text below to create emails and letters to prompt providers to participate in the study or to address reasons for refusal. Interviewers may also use these talking points in conversations to address respondent concerns or provide motivation to complete the questionnaire.

The 2024 National Survey of Early Care and Education will be used to:

Create a comprehensive description of the type of care arrangements families are using for their children, including individuals who look after children informally like neighbors, family, friends, and grandparents.
Help develop initiatives to support caregivers through such things as educational assistance, training, and improved pay and benefits.
Better understand the experiences of family, friends, neighbors, and others who look after children.
Describe and analyze the critical role that informal child care providers play and the important qualities they offer.

Text explaining why NSECE is important to early care and education in general and unlisted home-based providers in particular

The NSECE talks with a wide range of people who look after children including individuals like grandparents, other friends and relatives, neighbors, or baby-sitters who may not consider themselves child care providers. The information we collect helps us understand the reasons why you look after children, what kinds of activities you do with children in your care, and what kinds of support or resources you need most.

The NSECE has helped administrators, policy makers, and public agencies understand how many home-based providers, including family, friends, and neighbors, were providing care across the nation, what motivated them to look after children, and what kinds of care they offered.

We know that families often rely on family, friends, and neighbors to help fill in gaps in child care. The NSECE recognizes that we cannot have an accurate and comprehensive picture of early care and education in the U.S. without including them.
The NSECE knows that many families cannot find child care options that are affordable and that meets their needs, so they rely on family, friends, and neighbors for some or all of their child care needs. By participating in this study, you will help show what a vital role these kinds of caregivers play in their communities.
Adults taking care of relatives - their grandchildren, nephews or nieces – are often an under-recognized and under-appreciated resource. The NSECE is the first national study to include these caregivers and provide a portrait of their backgrounds, their views, how many children they take care of for how many hours, and the pressures they confront.

We understand that you may not consider yourself a child care provider. But it is important for us to talk with all kinds of people looking after children, even those who don’t do it as a job. By participating, you will help us understand the needs and pressures caregivers face, and what kind of help or support they might find useful.

Policy makers and public agencies may offer better support to child care providers and parents when they learn how many families rely on family, friends, and neighbors to meet their needs and keep their children safe when they are unable to.

We understand that many people look after children because they care for and love them or want to help out family and friends. The NSECE is interested in understanding all kinds of care arrangements including those involving family and friends, and whether or not they involve payment.

The 2012 NSECE provided the first national picture since the 1990s of individuals looking after children in home-based settings describing who they are, their compensation, and what motivates them to do this. This highlighted the critical role caregivers play in their communities and what kinds of challenges they face.
The 2024 NSECE will build on the 2012 and 2019 NSECE studies to update the comprehensive profile of types of care arrangements families are using for their children across the nation.
This study is unique. The NSECE collects information from families, early care and education providers, and caregivers in the same community so that we can understand what early care and education options are available to families in particular areas and who is providing that care. While the NSECE is able to look at communities one by one, it also allows us to situate communities within a larger national context.
The NSECE serves as a valuable resource for organizations like the Administration for Children and Families (ACF). They rely on information collected from caregivers like you to understand how current programs are helping caregivers and what is needed to strengthen support for early care and education across the nation.
The NSECE has helped us understand how we can better support individuals looking after children and offer opportunities to help them improve the care they offer.
This study has previously been conducted in 2012 and 2019 when we interviewed nearly 12,000 individuals who were looking after young children in a home setting. These included both individuals who were running a small family child care business and others, like grandparents, neighbors, and other friends and relatives, who were looking after children they had relationships with to help out their family and friends. The study helped policy makers and local agencies get a clearer understanding of the work caregivers do and how to better support them.
A member of your household recently participated in this study, and you were identified as an individual who looks after children who are not your own. It is important for us to hear from you to get a complete picture of the availability of early child care and education services in your area.
Your role as a caregiver allows you to answer questions about the activities you do with the children you look after. This information will help early care and education researchers better understand the complexities of formal and informal child care providers and inform initiatives designed to help all types of child care providers offer quality care to children across the country
Participation in this study is your opportunity to tell us about the challenges and pleasures of being a home-based provider. For example, is it difficult for you to offer parents affordable child care but make enough money to keep your services running? Do you feel isolated or stressed by your work? What teaching or learning resources would you like to have to keep improving the care you give children?
Because the NSECE study includes all types of settings and programs, including community-based centers and Head Start and public pre-K programs, home-based caregivers’ participation in the study helps researchers compare their experiences to other programs available in early child care and education.

Participation in the study brings many benefits for early care and education, families, communities, etc.” study for many reasons:

Your responses will be combined with others to create a rich data source that has the potential to benefit federal, state, and community-level child care policies.
Your responses will help create a comprehensive description of the range of individuals working directly with children in a home-based setting. This will help describe who our caregivers are, their qualifications, their compensation, and what motivates them to look after and teach children.
Your responses will help inform initiatives and policies to support child care through things like educational assistance, trainings, and improved pay and benefits.
Your responses will improve support for home-based providers and caregivers and help them improve the care they provide children.
The NSECE contributes to improving children’s readiness to learn in school. Policymakers and researchers know that high-quality early childhood experiences dramatically increase children’s readiness to learn in elementary school. NSECE results will help communities invest private and public resources wisely so that children’s access to quality programs and overall quality of care can be improved.
The NSECE is the only nationwide study aimed at better understanding the people and programs that take care of America’s children and the services that they provide.
Your responses will help shape initiatives to better support caregivers through such things as educational assistance, training, and improved pay and benefits.
Your responses will contribute to a greater understanding of the challenges facing early care and education caregivers and how to help solve them.
Your responses will be combined with others to help show what challenges caregivers have faced to provide a safe and nurturing learning environment for children in their care.
The NSECE has shown that the majority of preschool age children are cared for by someone other than their parents. This study has helped highlight the important role family, friends, and neighbors play in caring for children when they cannot be with their parents.
The NSECE provides detailed information on the conditions in which caregivers have been working since the pandemic.

Reasons why we need to hear the unlisted home-based provider respondent (and not someone else): Sometimes respondents say they are too busy to participate. The items below may be used as a response to these kinds of refusals.

A member of your household recently participated in this study, and you were identified as an individual who looks after children who are not your own. Because you represent so many others, you cannot be replaced.

It is very important for us to hear from each individual identified so that we may get a complete picture of who is looking after children when they cannot be with their parents. Your voice represents many others like you across the nation.
Your participation is critical. We need to hear from as many individuals selected for this study as possible to ensure that the results of the study are accurate and reliable.

Responses to concerns about privacy: We expect that some respondents may have privacy concerns about participation. The following talking points will be used by field interviewers to communicate with respondents to address those concerns. The talking points will also be included in ad hoc refusal conversion or prompting contacts.

We understand that you may have concerns about sharing information about yourself. We want to reassure you that all information you provide is kept private, and your answers and identity are protected. Here are just a few of the many steps we take to protect your information:

Your name is never kept with your survey answers so no one can know how you responded. Likewise, your individual responses will not be shared with any other child care organizations. Survey findings are put into summary reports that contain no names or other information that identifies you.
The questionnaire does not include questions concerning licensing, immigration status, or taxes. Additionally, you may skip any questions that you do not wish to answer.
All NSECE staff who handle the information collected for the study must sign an agreement that provides for criminal and civil penalties if privacy is breached.
The NSECE has a federal Certificate of Confidentiality that helps us further protect the privacy of our participants. With this Certificate, we cannot be forced (for example by court order or subpoena) to disclose information that may identify you in any federal, state, local, civil, criminal, legislative, administrative, or other proceedings.
The U.S Department of Health and Human Services that funds the study does not have any way to identify you from your answers.
We do not sell or provide your name to any mailing lists, organizations, or public agencies.
The tablets used by the field interviewers have several levels of security. Once you give us your information, it is encrypted and then sent by a secure connection to our data bank, which is also protected by multiple layers of security.

General

We understand that you are busy, and our interviewers are willing to do whatever is necessary to reduce the burden of this interview on you. We are able to conduct the interview over the phone and can do it in several shorter sessions instead of all at once if this suits your schedule better.
We know you are busy, but the best way to understand how to assist home-based providers and caregivers is to go to people like you who work directly with children. Access to child care is an essential ingredient for healthy communities and supporting families. We need your help to learn what is needed most as we work to provide reliable data for policy makers trying to improve resources for early care and education.
The last two decades have seen a tremendous expansion in the availability and use of programs for children not yet in kindergarten. That expansion has been based on compelling research evidence that birth to age five is a critical time for children’s development. By looking closer at experiences of individuals who care for children who are not their own, the 2024 NSECE offers a significant opportunity to continue to build on that knowledge about children’s experiences.
When researchers and policy makers think about child care providers, they can often overlook individuals like you who care for the children of family, friends, or neighbors. The NSECE includes people like you in the study so that we have an accurate picture of who is caring for children in the U.S. This will serve as a valuable resource for public agencies and policy makers who are trying to help support the people who care for and educate young children.

Text for sharing letters of support and other communications

ACF has funded the NSECE since 2012. The NSECE study data has been a critical resource for ACF as they have worked to improve the well-being of children, families, and communities. They asked the NSECE to collect updated information in 2024 to help them understand how the early care and education landscape has changed in the past five years.
ACF is one of the largest sources of public support for early and school age care in our country. You can access the letter from ACF through [PLACEHOLDER].
The NSECE is so important that [PLACEHOLDER ORG NAME] has written a letter of support that we would like to share with you.
We wanted to take a minute to share some exciting news with you about the National Survey of Early Care and Education. This month the NSECE released a publication about [TOPIC] from the [2019 survey/NSECE COVID Longitudinal Follow-up Study]: [include title]. (Click the link to view the publication) This [PLACEHOLDER] provides an overview of [DESCRIPTION OF CONTENT]. Before the NSECE began in 2012, there had been no national source of information on early care and education in more than 20 years. Thank you for making this important effort a success!

File Type	application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document
File Modified	0000-00-00
File Created	0000-00-00

Appendix C 2024 NSECE Unlisted Home-based Provider Survey Contact Materials

Appendix C 2024 NSECE Unlisted Home-based Provider Survey Contact Materials_toOPRE_042823.docx

2024 National Survey of Early Care and Education

Appendix C 2024 NSECE Unlisted Home-based Provider Survey Contact Materials

OMB: 0970-0391

Contents