HHS HealthBeat (June 21, 2010)

Good child care, better teens

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Maurice Scott with HHS HealthBeat.

Researchers say children in good day care in their first four and a half years seem to think a bit more clearly and act a bit nicer at 15.

The study examined data on more than 1,300 kids in day care, on such points as whether they had good things to do, and whether caregivers were nice to the kids. The researchers also got standardized test scores, and reviewed what families, school officials and teens said about the teens’ behavior.

At the University of California, Irvine, Deborah Lowe Vandell:

"The quality of early child care is related to some differences in children’s academic and cognitive achievement, and reduced problem behaviors 10 years after the children were in child care." (11 seconds)

The study in the journal Child Development was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Maurice Scott.

Last revised: November 21, 2011