Childcare Center logic model

Click on any linked activities to view samples of related research evidence. Click on linked outcomes to view sources of data for measuring outcomes and question wording examples to collect your own outcome data. If you're using a mouse, hover over linked items to highlight any evidence related items. Use the entire model as a map for understanding how the work of community development and health organizations collaboratively leads to improved community health.

Inputs

Community plans

Evidence-based practice literature

Location, site

Source of funds

Staffing

Activities

Childcare subsidy for low-income families

Childcare, early care and education programming

Employment of high quality, trained caregivers

Financing childcare centers in underserved neighborhoods

Financing for infrastructure that promotes physical activity and mental health (e.g., green space, playground equipment, community recreation facilities, walking path/trails, community gardens, sidewalks, swimming pools)

Healthy meals and snacks

Learning activities that promote school readiness

Use of building materials that reduce asthma problems (e.g. wood flooring, washable window treatments, HEPA heating and ventilation system, low VOC and lead-free paints)

Outputs

Childcare slots (number of)

Children who participate in high quality learning activities (number of)

Community garden users/pounds of vegetables produced (number of)

Dollars invested (amount of)

Healthy meals/snacks served (number of)

Jobs created/retained as a result of financing or programming (number of)

Low-income households with increased access to affordable childcare (number of) and percent low-income

Playground equipment/recreation room/green space users (number of)

Rooms with building materials known to reduce asthma symptoms (number of)

Walking path users/path miles (number of)

Initial
outcomes

Asthma trigger exposure decreases

Better quality educational programs

Opportunities for physical activity increase

Proximity to affordable, stable, high-quality childcare increases

Intermediate
outcomes

Asthma problems among children decrease

Caregiving burden decreases

Childcare cost burden decreases

Cognitive ability of children increases

Consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables increases

Crime rate decreases

Delinquent behaviors of children decrease

Food security increases

Health and well-being self-reports improve

Identification of social, physical, and learning problems occurs earlier

Language and literacy skills improve

Physical activity increases

Reduced sweetened beverage consumption

Social-emotional skills of children improve

Stress decreases

Ultimate
outcomes

Academic proficiency scores increase

Graduation rate increases

Health disparities decrease

Household income increases

Life expectancy increases

Mental health problems decrease

Obesity rate decreases

School readiness improves

About this logic model

This example logic model provides a menu of typical inputs, activities, outputs, and outcomes for community development and health organizations that work in the Childcare Center field.

The activities listed in this example logic model link, whenever possible, to examples of research literature providing evidence that a specific activity leads to a health-related outcome included in the logic model. The outcomes link, whenever possible, to measures already collected through existing data sources and to measures that might require users to collect their own data through a survey, or other means. Click on these linked items to view the related evidence or measures.

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Influence on social determinants of health:

Childcare centers built in underserved communities provide space for licensed programs to deliver affordable, high quality care to low-income infant, pre-school age, and school age children.

These sites can play an important role in developing the health of young children through building design elements, programs and policies.

New/rehabbed childcare center buildings can also serve as catalysts for other economic development.