Originally posted by Afterschool Alliance
Afterschool programs promote healthy futures!
The newly-released America After 3PM report, “Promoting Healthy Futures: Afterschool Provides the Supports Parents Want for Children’s Well-Being” takes a look at what parents want from afterschool programs, and the role afterschool plays in supporting children’s healthy development.
Here are four top takeaways:
1. Parents increasingly view afterschool as important to the healthy development of children.
Parents agree that afterschool programs allow young people to:
- engage with their peers (85%)
- build positive relationships with caring mentors and adults (77%)
- build confidence (81%)
- learn life skills (82%) and responsible decision-making (79%)
Since the first America After 3PM report in 2009, parent views on the role of afterschool have become stronger, with parents giving higher marks to programs for supporting kids’ healthy development.
2. Afterschool programs provide the supports that parents seek for their children.
Nationwide, parents prioritize a safe environment and quality of staff when selecting an afterschool program, and data shows that programs are delivering. Among parents with children in an afterschool program, more than 9 in 10 report satisfaction with their program’s environment and staff.
Parents also place a high value on programs that provide opportunities to build life skills, be active, partake in healthy snacks or meals, and experience the outdoors. Again, programs are delivering, with parents giving their child’s program high ratings in these areas.
3. Parents of color, as well as families with low incomes, especially value afterschool’s role in supporting healthy development.
Among the top factors parents identify as important, opportunities to build life skills and programming to reduce risky behaviors trend at or above the national average for parents of color and families with low incomes.
4. Increased barriers to afterschool participation prevent young people from accessing the holistic set of supports programs provide.
For every child in afterschool, three more are waiting for an available program. America After 3PM data finds that cost is a major barrier to participation.
While demand for afterschool programs has soared, parents report barriers to participation. Compared to 2014, parents are more likely to report that cost (43 percent vs. 57 percent), lack of a safe way to and from programs (39 percent vs. 53 percent), and lack of available programs (29 percent vs. 42 percent) were important factors in their decision not to enroll their child in a program.
Check out the data dashboard, where you’ll find national and state-level data. And join us for a conversation with afterschool leaders, parents and youth, today at 1PM ET.
America After 3PM serves as a resource for policymakers, educators, parents, and advocates on afterschool and summer program participation, demand, and expectations and benefits of programs.
*Data from America After 3PM survey of parents conducted during Jan-March 2020.
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