Author Description

Whitebook and Sakai examine how American childcare programs and their staffs sustain themselves in a field characterized by low pay, low status, and high turnover. The study is based on an in-depth survey of 75 mid-size, relatively high-quality child care centers in an economically thriving region of the U.S.--the San Francisco Bay area--with data on salaries, training, and educational background gathered in 1994, 1996, and 2000. Coverage includes an overview of the industry, the correlation between center quality and staff stability, detailed discussion of working in childcare employment, and recommendations for improving the industry. Whitebook is with U. of California- Berkeley; Sakai is a research consultant. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)