We’re excited to share the results from the Toddlers of Philly Survey (TOPS)! TOPS is a survey of the caregivers of two-year-olds living in Philadelphia. The survey was conducted in the fall and winter of 2023 and 444 caregivers completed the survey.
The goal of the TOPS was to provide information about how families with two-year old children in Philadelphia support their children’s growth and learning, as well as the programs and services they engage in.
Why two-year-olds?
Early childhood experiences are very important to a person’s future health and development. A child’s brain develops fastest during the first three years of their life. This means that strong support systems early in a child’s life can lay the foundation for future success.
There is limited data about the needs of two-year-olds and their families. We hope that by surveying the caregivers of two-year-olds, we can find better ways to support the caregivers and their toddlers.
Here are some key takeaways from the survey:
Childcare
- About 70 percent of caregivers regularly use childcare. Of those, most use a private childcare center or receive childcare from a family member.
- While most caregivers use childcare, it may not be easily available or affordable.
Activities with children
- Caregivers of two-year-olds are building language skills with their toddlers in many ways, including having conversations, singing songs, reciting rhymes or poems, and counting.
- 70 percent of caregivers would like more information on the things they can do at home to help their child learn.
Caregiver wellbeing and needs
- About 12 percent of caregivers reported symptoms of depression.
- About half of caregivers do not know where to go for help in their community. This shows that caregivers may need more information about resources available to them.
Philly Families CAN is a support services phoneline connecting Philadelphia County pregnant people, new parents, and families with young children to free and voluntary home visiting programs. Additionally, Philly Loves Families has a whole page with mental health and wellness resources.
Caregiver sources of information
- Caregivers get parenting information from lots of sources, including social media, websites, books/magazines, other people, and more.
- Health care professionals are the most trusted sources for parenting ideas. While some people get their information from social media, it is not the most trusted source.
Children’s health
- About 11 percent of caregivers decided to delay or not get immunizations for their toddler.
- The survey showed that there are four main factors that affect caregiver decisions about immunizations for toddlers, as seen in the graph below.
Learn more about childhood vaccines. On-time vaccination helps provide immunity before children are exposed to potentially life-threatening diseases. Vaccines are safe and effective.
More information
TOPS was conducted by Mathematica in partnership with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, Division of Maternal, Child, and Family Health (PDPH MCFH), with the support from the William Penn Foundation.