New Zealand Childcare Survey 2017 Data Collection

##Background to the New Zealand Childcare Survey 2017 The Childcare in New Zealand Survey 2017 (CCNZ17) provides information about the use of formal and informal childcare arrangements, and the relationship between childcare, work, and study arrangements, subsidies used, and many other factors relating to childcare. The CCNZ17 was a supplement to the Household Labour Force Survey (HLFS) in the September 2017 quarter. ##Survey scope The target population for the CCNZ17 is the non-institutionalised population 15 years and over who usually live in Zealand, who are a parent or in the parental role to at least one child aged 0–13 living at their dwelling. A person who is in the target population is said to be in scope. This means that the statistics in this release do not cover long-term residents of retirement homes; hospitals and psychiatric institutions; inmates of penal institutions; and people who are not expecting to be resident in New Zealand for more than 12 months. The survey population is the target population with the following exclusions: residents of islands other than the North Island, the South Island, and Waiheke Island; people residing in non-private dwellings; and people not living in permanent dwellings. ##Achieved sample A total of 3,298 households participated in the CCNZ17, consisting of 5,869 parents, 1,105 preschool children aged 0–6 years, and 2,193 schoolchildren aged 5–13. ##Data collection Data collection for the CCNZ17 was done using computer-assisted interviewing (CAI). Data was collected partly by computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) for selected households (approximately 30 percent of all survey respondents). The remaining households were surveyed by centralised computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI). The survey was carried out from 9 July to 15 July 2017 and from 30 July to 7 October 2017. There were no interviews during the period 16 July to 29 July 2017, as the reference weeks fell in the school holiday period. ##Estimation/weighting A basic survey weight is attached to each record to reflect the probability of that unit being included in the sample. For the HLFS the basic weights are adjusted to ensure that estimates of the relevant population characteristics match known population totals. For the CCNZ17 there are two populations: children aged 0–13 years (children) and parents of children aged 0–13 years (parents), both inclusive. One child in a household was randomly selected to participate in the CCNZ17. The basic weight of the child was adjusted to reflect the probability of selection in the survey. It was further adjusted to ensure that estimates of the child population matched known population totals. For the parents, the final weight, as determined by the HLFS, was adjusted to reflect the probability of selection in the CCNZ17. It was further adjusted to ensure that estimates of the relevant population characteristics matched estimates of the number of parents of children aged 0–13 years inclusive. ##Reliability of survey estimates Two types of errors are possible in estimates based on a sample survey: sampling error and non-sampling error. Sampling error can be measured, and quantifies the variability that occurs by chance because a sample rather than an entire population is surveyed. Non-sampling errors are all errors that are not sampling errors and are not quantifiable. Non-sampling errors include unintentional mistakes by respondents when answering questions, variation in the respondent's and interviewer's interpretation of the questions asked, and errors in the recording and coding of data. Stats NZ endeavours to minimise the impact of these errors through the application of best survey practices and monitoring of known indicators (eg non-response). Sampling errors have been estimated using a jack-knife method, which is based on the variation between estimates, based on different subsamples taken from the whole sample. This is an attempt to see how estimates would vary if we were to repeat the survey with new samples of individuals. For example, the estimated total number of children with no childcare arrangements is 368,700. This estimate is subject to a sampling error of plus or minus 16,900 or 4.6 percent (measured at the 95 percent confidence level). This means that there is a 95 percent chance that the true number of children with no childcare arrangements lies between 351,800 and 385,600. Smaller estimates, such as the total number of female children attending kōhanga reo (2,600), are subject to larger relative sampling errors than larger estimates. This estimate is subject to a sampling error of plus or minus 2,000 or 77.4 percent (measured at the 95 percent confidence level). This means that there is a 95 percent chance that the true number of female children attending kōhanga reo lies between 600 and 4,600. ##Suppressed estimates in this release Some estimates have been suppressed (replaced by 'S' in the tables) for reliability reasons. These suppressed values reflect a low number of responses (weighted count of less than 1,000). ##Response rate The target response rate for the CCNZ17 was 80 percent. The achieved response rate for the number of parents or those in a parent role was 79.8 percent. ##Editing and imputation A minimal approach to editing was implemented for the CCNZ17. With CAI, the computer software runs checks for validity and consistency as responses to questions are captured. If required, the software prompts the interviewer to clarify answers with the respondent at the time of interview. This keeps the number of inconsistent answers low. A further round of validity, logic, and error checks was performed on the data as part of the data processing stage. A small amount of editing was done post collection on hours and costs, and on 20 Hours ECE used for playgroups, which is a care type which cannot receive 20 Hours ECE. Non-response to the CCNZ17 occurred either when an eligible individual in the sample did not respond to the questionnaire, had a proxy answer their questionnaire (the childcare questions did not generate unless the person answered their own personal questionnaire), or did not provide enough information to key questions to determine a usable response. Any non-responding parents from the HLFS sample were dealt with by adjusting the weights of the responding individuals. Item (or partial) non-response could occur within the responses for the CCNZ17. This includes a response of 'don't know' or 'refuse' to non-core questions. Since all the core CCNZ17 questions had been answered, the record was deemed to be a full response. No imputation has been applied to any item non-response. There was a routing issue found within the CCNZ17 after the survey had been under collection for a few weeks. This error was fixed immediately for the remainder of the collection of the CCNZ17 throughout the September 2017 quarter. The issue resulted in about 400 respondents with working partners not being asked questions about their partner’s difficulties with childcare when working or studying, and any consequences of these difficulties. This missing information is being investigated early in 2018. It is likely that missing information will be imputed for by a ‘like’ donor. ##Percentages Percentages in articles about the CCNZ17 are calculated excluding those who did not specify a response ie those who said ‘don’t know’ or ‘refuse’ to a question. ##Rounding All estimates provided in this release have been independently rounded to the nearest hundred. For this reason estimated totals may differ from the sum of individual cells. All percentages have been calculated using unrounded figures and have been rounded to one decimal place under 10 percent, and no decimal place for values of 10 percent or above. ##Survey content and structure The CCNZ17 questionnaire contained the following three modules which were contained within the HLFS personal questionnaire: Introduction Children module Adult module. ###Children module For each household where there was more than one child aged 0–13 years present, one child was randomly selected by the computer. If there was only one child in the household then the information was collected about that child. Where the selected child had more than one eligible parent in the household (as determined by the HLFS), a question was asked about which parent was best to talk to regarding the selected child's care arrangements. Where there was no obvious parent relationship to the selected child, the questionnaire asked which of the adults in the household (those aged 15 or over) was able to talk about the child's care arrangements. Information about the selected child was then collected by asking early childhood education (ECE) or out-of-school services (OSS) questions, based on the child's age. Children aged four years and under were automatically asked ECE questions, while those aged seven years to thirteen years were automatically asked OSS questions. For children aged five or six years, the parent was asked whether the child attended school last week. If the child attended school they were asked OSS questions, otherwise they were asked the ECE questions. Both the ECE and OSS routing within the child module contained questions on formal and informal care arrangements for the selected child in the household. The child module contained questions on: • types of childcare arrangements (formal and informal) parents use for the child • days and hours spent by child in each type of care arrangement • cost of childcare used • reasons for using and not using formal care • use of government subsidies (20 Hours ECE, Childcare subsidy, OSCAR subsidy) to assist with childcare • reasons for not using government subsidies to assist with childcare when formal care was used • satisfaction with ECE teacher-led formal care • types of care used for any other children in the household the parent was responsible for. In addition, for those who completed the OSS questions, information was asked about care arrangements used during the last school holidays. For those who were interviewed in week 1, starting 9 July 2017 these questions related to the April 2017 school holidays, for all other weeks (week 4 – week 13) these questions related to the July 2017 school holidays. Information collected included types of arrangements used, cost of arrangements, hours spent in school holiday care, and reasons for not using a school holiday programme when applicable. ###Adult module Parents, or those in a parental role of the selected child, were asked information about their own circumstances relating to childcare and some basic income questions, as well as similar questions about their partner (if they had one). The adult module contained questions on: • work arrangements used in the week prior to interview • work arrangements used in the week prior to interview specifically to look after a child • difficulties experienced (if any) getting childcare in previous 12 months when working or wanting work • work consequences experienced (if any) by those who had experienced difficulties • difficulties experienced (if any) getting childcare in previous 12 months when studying • study consequences experienced (if any) by those who had experienced difficulties • any government benefits/transfers received by the parents • income range (parent and partner combined where applicable). ##Copyright Information obtained from Stats NZ may be freely used, reproduced, or quoted unless otherwise specified. In all cases Stats NZ must be acknowledged as the source. ##Liability While care has been used in the processing, analysing, and extracting information, Stats NZ gives no warranty that the information supplied is free from error. Stats NZ shall not be liable for any loss suffered through the use, directly or indirectly, of any information, product, or service. en-NZ