Table 1.
Sample characteristics
| |
Parents of infants |
Parents of preschoolers |
|---|---|---|
| Characteristic | N (%) | N (%) |
|
Child |
|
|
| Female gender |
29 (48) |
21 (58) †† |
| Age in months [m (range)] |
5 (2–11) |
58 (48–66)†† |
| Only child (no siblings) |
61 (100) |
5 (14) |
|
Parent in focus group* |
|
|
| Female gender |
61 (100) |
34 (94) |
| Age in years [m (range)] |
32 (21–38) |
38 (28–71) |
| Highest level of education: |
|
|
| Some high school |
2 (3) |
7 (19) |
| Completed high school |
10 (16) |
10 (28) |
| Trade certificate/apprenticeship |
9 (15) |
7 (19) |
| University degree |
40 (66) |
12 (33) |
| Employment status: |
|
|
| In paid employment |
10 (16) |
12 (33) |
| On maternity leave |
43 (71) |
4 (11) |
| Home duties |
8 (13) |
17 (47) |
| Student/unemployed |
0 |
3 (8) |
| Hours of paid employment per week**[m (range)] |
26 (8–45) |
19 (2–52) |
| Married/de facto relationship |
60 (98) |
31 (89) |
| English is main language spoken at home |
60 (98) |
30 (83) |
| Born in Australia |
54 (89) |
27 (75) |
| Family has a health care card† |
5 (8) |
12 (33) |
| Partner |
|
|
| Age in years [m (range)] |
34 (23–43) |
41 (28–72) |
| Born in Australia |
50 (83) |
22 (69) |
| Highest level of education: |
|
|
| Some high school |
4 (7) |
0 |
| Completed high school |
12 (20) |
5 (16) |
| Trade certificate/apprenticeship |
11 (18) |
14 (44) |
| University degree |
33 (55) |
13 (41) |
| Partner in paid employment | 55 (100) | 30 (97) |
* Note: includes one grandparent in the preschooler group.
**n = 9 for parents of infants for this question; n=12 for parents of preschoolers.
† Health care cards are provided by the Federal Government to low-income earners who pass a means-test. They allow access to subsidised health care, public transport, utilities and car registration.
†† Where participants had more than one child attending the preschool, the eldest child′s age and gender are included here.