Directors of for-profit child care centers : do background characteristics predict success?

The need for quality child care is a national concern of increasing interest to parents, child care providers, employers, and policy makers. One of the newest entries in child care options available for consumers is for-profit daycare chains. As for-profit chains increase in both number and size, it is important to investigate which back ground characteristics of for-profit child care directors predict success.

The purpose of this research was to develop a profile that characterized directors of for-profit child care centers and to investigate whether background variables, particularly college major, predicted success. Child care directors employed during a three year period with a nation-wide daycare chain, Daybridge Learning Centers, Inc., were investigated. Three hundred sixty-two child care directors were divided into three groups: (1) voluntarily terminated, (2) involuntarily terminated, and (3) currently employed (employed at the conclusion of the study).

Examining the total sample, directors were characterized as white nonhispanic women having a bachelors degree in elementary education, with previous work experience in teaching, with a mean age of 30.98 years. A subgroup of current directors employed longer than two years had a profile consistent with the profile of the total sample.

Three null hypotheses investigating background, length of time as a director, and length of time the center was in operation yielded nonsignificant results. Analyses on a subgroup of successful directors, current directors employed longer than two years, showed a slight interaction between director status and three background variables; highest educational level, previous work experience and region. Additional information on annual salary and reasons for termination were examined.

Practical implications for proprietary child care management, program planning for human ecology/home economics units and early childhood professionals are discussed. This study represents one of the first investigations regarding for-profit child care chains. There is a great need for future research.