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The Child Care Workforce in New Jersey: Findings from Focus Groups with Providers. Rutgers Child Care Research Collaborative

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Title: The Child Care Workforce in New Jersey: Findings from Focus Groups with Providers. Rutgers Child Care Research Collaborative
Language: English
Authors: Liana Lin, Lillian McFarland, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Center for Women & Work (CWW), Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, National Institute of Early Education Research (NIEER)
Source: John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development. 2025.
Availability: John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development. Rutgers University, 30 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901. Tel: 732-932-4100; Fax: 732-932-3454; e-mail: hcwd@rci.rutgers.edu; Web site: https://www.heldrich.rutgers.edu/
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 26
Publication Date: 2025
Sponsoring Agency: New Jersey Department of Children and Families (DCF)
Document Type: Reports - Research
Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Descriptors: Child Caregivers, Child Care Centers, Child Care Occupations, Early Childhood Education, Teacher Motivation, Barriers, Teacher Attitudes, Teacher Aides, Employee Attitudes
Geographic Terms: New Jersey
Abstract: The John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is part of a multi-center collaborative project focused on child care in New Jersey. Through this work, the Heldrich Center is conducting an evaluation of the child care workforce through a multi-modal research approach, comprised of focus groups and surveys. The research team held two series of focus groups--one with family child care (FCC) providers and another with assistant teachers working in licensed child care centers--to build on survey findings and engage more deeply with survey respondents. For FCC providers, the research team conducted five virtual focus groups in December 2024 and January 2025, which included 34 FCC providers. For licensed child care center staff, the research team conducted six virtual focus groups in May and June 2025, and connected with a total of 37 assistant teachers working in licensed child care centers in New Jersey. This report shares findings and recommendations from the post-survey focus groups, which ultimately served to amplify child care workers' voices, providing deeper insights and adding critical context to the prevailing themes from the Heldrich Center's surveys of New Jersey's child care workforce. The discussions that emerged from these focus groups reveal the complexities of workers' motivations, job satisfaction, challenges, and recommendations for improving the child care field as a whole.
Abstractor: ERIC
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: ED679595
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: The Child Care Workforce in New Jersey: Findings from Focus Groups with Providers. Rutgers Child Care Research Collaborative
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Liana+Lin%22">Liana Lin</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lillian+McFarland%22">Lillian McFarland</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rutgers%2C+The+State+University+of+New+Jersey%2C+John+J%2E+Heldrich+Center+for+Workforce+Development%22">Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rutgers%2C+The+State+University+of+New+Jersey%2C+Center+for+Women+%26+Work+%28CWW%29%22">Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Center for Women & Work (CWW)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rutgers%2C+The+State+University+of+New+Jersey%2C+National+Institute+of+Early+Education+Research+%28NIEER%29%22">Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, National Institute of Early Education Research (NIEER)</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22John+J%2E+Heldrich+Center+for+Workforce+Development%22"><i>John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development</i></searchLink>. 2025.
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  Data: John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development. Rutgers University, 30 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901. Tel: 732-932-4100; Fax: 732-932-3454; e-mail: hcwd@rci.rutgers.edu; Web site: https://www.heldrich.rutgers.edu/
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  Data: 26
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: New Jersey Department of Children and Families (DCF)
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  Data: Reports - Research<br />Tests/Questionnaires
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Child+Caregivers%22">Child Caregivers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Child+Care+Centers%22">Child Care Centers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Child+Care+Occupations%22">Child Care Occupations</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education%22">Early Childhood Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Motivation%22">Teacher Motivation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Barriers%22">Barriers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Attitudes%22">Teacher Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Aides%22">Teacher Aides</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Employee+Attitudes%22">Employee Attitudes</searchLink>
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  Label: Geographic Terms
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22New+Jersey%22">New Jersey</searchLink>
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  Label: Abstract
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  Data: The John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is part of a multi-center collaborative project focused on child care in New Jersey. Through this work, the Heldrich Center is conducting an evaluation of the child care workforce through a multi-modal research approach, comprised of focus groups and surveys. The research team held two series of focus groups--one with family child care (FCC) providers and another with assistant teachers working in licensed child care centers--to build on survey findings and engage more deeply with survey respondents. For FCC providers, the research team conducted five virtual focus groups in December 2024 and January 2025, which included 34 FCC providers. For licensed child care center staff, the research team conducted six virtual focus groups in May and June 2025, and connected with a total of 37 assistant teachers working in licensed child care centers in New Jersey. This report shares findings and recommendations from the post-survey focus groups, which ultimately served to amplify child care workers' voices, providing deeper insights and adding critical context to the prevailing themes from the Heldrich Center's surveys of New Jersey's child care workforce. The discussions that emerged from these focus groups reveal the complexities of workers' motivations, job satisfaction, challenges, and recommendations for improving the child care field as a whole.
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: ED679595
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=ED679595
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      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 26
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Child Caregivers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Child Care Centers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Child Care Occupations
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Early Childhood Education
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      – SubjectFull: Teacher Motivation
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      – SubjectFull: Barriers
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      – SubjectFull: Teacher Attitudes
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      – SubjectFull: Teacher Aides
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      – SubjectFull: Employee Attitudes
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      – SubjectFull: New Jersey
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