Front Public Health. 2026 Jun 30;14:1752192. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1752192. eCollection 2026.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Amid China’s population structure adjustment, shortage of high-quality, accessible childcare services for 0-3 years old constrains fertility willingness and family well being. Existing studies lack targeted analysis on demand structure and influencing mechanisms in urban areas. Therefore, this study investigated the characteristics of childcare service demand and key socioeconomic determinants among Ningbo’s childbearing population. These results provide empirical support for optimizing regional childcare policies.
METHODS: A self-designed questionnaire was administered online in Ningbo, China from July to September, 2024. Information on personal and family characteristics, as well as demand for childcare services, was obtained. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression were used to analyze the determinants of childcare services.
RESULTS: Of the 320 questionnaires distributed, 300 had valid responses (response rate of 93.8%). The seven dimensions of childcare service demand were ranked from highest to lowest: convenient conditions (9.39 ± 4.39 points), early education (8.86 ± 4.60), environmental facilities (8.60 ± 4.67), teaching staff quality (8.57 ± 4.23), childcare center management (8.40 ± 4.64), home-care interaction (7.73 ± 3.72), and childcare services (5.73 ± 3.04 points). Analysis revealed three variables in the regression model: parents’ age, occupation, and educational background (p < 0.001).
CONCLUSION: Demand for childcare services was influenced by multiple factors. Innovating cooperation models that optimize policy support and strengthen new supportive measures can help provide convenient childcare services. Furthermore, enhancing government-industry supervision and positive community publicity, improving early education policies, and developing service models can increase the demand and level of childcare services in China.
PMID:42454319 | PMC:PMC13365250 | DOI:10.3389/fpubh.2026.1752192
