The Impact of Child Care Type on Infant s Developmental Outcome: Focusing on the Care Type of at Home Nurturing and Daycare Center

This study examines how different types of child care affect infant development in South Korea, comparing daycare center care with home-based parenting. Using data from the Korean Child Panel over three years, the research found that daycare center attendance had positive effects on infants' motor skills, language development, and social development. The timing of daycare enrollment and quality certification of facilities showed varying impacts across developmental domains.

Key points

• Daycare center use had positive effects across all measured developmental areas: motor skills, language, and social development
• The timing of daycare enrollment affected developmental outcomes differently across developmental domains
• Quality certification of daycare facilities showed differences only in infants' social development
• Study used Korean Child Panel data from years 1-3 with multiple regression analysis by developmental domain
• Authors conclude that service quality improvements such as strengthened quality certification remain necessary despite positive effects of daycare attendance

Limitations

The study is limited to South Korean context and does not provide information about the specific mechanisms through which daycare affects different developmental domains. The document does not specify effect sizes, age ranges studied, or detailed comparisons of outcomes between daycare and home care groups.