Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This study aims to investigate the demand for childcare services for infants aged 0-3 years among the childbearing population in China and identify its key determinants. METHODS: An online survey was conducted in Suzhou, China in August 2024 using a self-designed questionnaire. Information on personal and family characteristics, as well as demand for childcare services, was collected. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression were used to analyze the determinants of childcare services. RESULTS: Of 5,567 respondents, 45.9% expressed demand for childcare services for children aged 0-3 years. Binary logistic regression identified several significant predictors of demand. Notably, female gender, older age, rural residence, and lower educational attainment were associated with lower demand (p < 0.05). Conversely, having more children, greater trust in childcare institutions, better knowledge about childcare services, and greater awareness of childcare policies were significantly associated with higher demand (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Demand for childcare services was influenced by multiple factors. Enhancing subsidies and rural service accessibility, strengthening institutional credibility, implementing incentives for multi-child families, disseminating childcare knowledge and policy information and facilitating a childcare paradigm shift were recommended.