Page 24 - PROGRAM IMPACT AND SATIFACTION AS SEEN THROUGH THE EYES OF HEAD START PARENTS

Employment and Education
Parents’ employment status and education level can affect many different areas of a child’s life, including their future socio-economic status and educational attainment. CCRC is interested in knowing if and what detracts parents from having a job and/or furthering their education.
Of 843 (94.1%) parents who responded to a question about the barrier(s) that prevent them from working or going to school, 80 (9.5%) responded that they had a job or were continuing their education. Most parents (626 or 74.3%) indicated that they did not have difficulty finding employment or continuing their education. However, 137 parents (16.3%) reported that they did. The most frequently reported barrier to employment or education was the lack of reliable child care (51.1%). Parents least reported that they did not have a job or go to school because of other commitments (1.7%). Chart 13 shows the types of barriers faced by parents who had difficulty finding a job or continuing their education.
CHART 13: Barriers to Education and Employment
Of the 15 parents who indicated that they had other commitments that prevented them from finding a job or continuing their education, 11 wrote a response. Nine parents commented that their commitments included taking care of other children and three of these nine also mentioned household responsibilities. One parent stated his or her health made it difficult to find work or continue going to school and one other parent wrote that she was caring for a sick family member.
Seventeen parents indicated that they faced other circumstances that made it difficult for them to find a job or continue their education. Of the 17 parents, six wrote response that described their barriers.
CCRC’s Head Start Parents Page | 21 December 2014