States and local communities have also begun exploring the use of computer technology to deliver child care related information to families when and where they need it. These initiatives have included specialized CD-ROMs, kiosks in shopping malls and other public spaces, electronic bulletin boards, and targeted Web sites on the Internet. Checklists to assist families in measuring the quality of a child care home or center and other materials are available in print and on the Internet. As this example indicates, the Internet, especially when coupled with other modes of information dissemination, can be an effective mechanism for getting out the message that high-quality child care is important to children, families, and communities. There are, however, a number of challenges to providing effective child care consumer education on the Internet.
Families come in all sizes, with varying needs and desires for their children's care.
Currently, not all families who need child care information have access to the Internet, and most consumer education resources on the Internet do not reflect the diversity of the families seeking child care. The sheer volume of child care consumer education information available on the Internet, combined with the nonspecific nature of the material, may require parents to invest a great deal of their time and resources in order to use the available information effectively. Many families may not be able to spend hours online seeking child care information or waiting for pages with large graphics to download. While child care information is abundant on the Internet, finding community-specific information may be difficult. Parents seeking electronic information may have to visit a large number of sites to get all the information they need.