Abstract: | National and state child care policies are shaped in part by studies of child care quality. The majority of these studies focus on variables that influence child outcomes. Katz suggests that this is but one of four perspectives on child care quality, and that parents, children, and child care staff have perspectives on child care quality that have not been adequately addressed. This article reviews the variables, measures, and studies associated with each of these four perspectives. The authors argue that given the preponderance of studies conducted from the professional/researcher perspective, more effort should be directed to studying child care quality from parents' children's, and child care staff members' viewpoints. |