About Us
RAPID is a survey project based at the Stanford Center on Early Childhood. Created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the RAPID survey provides actionable data on the experiences and well-being of the important adults in young children’s lives to inform immediate and long-term program and policy decisions.
The project consists of two national surveys of families with children under age six and child care providers (launched in April 2020 and February 2021, respectively), six community surveys across the US, and a statewide survey in California. Additional communities and states are in the planning phase.
Get to know RAPID and explore our impact in this special 3-year anniversary report.
National Data Collection
We employ an innovative study design in which we recruit and collect initial data from first-time participants on an ongoing basis while also fielding monthly surveys to collect data from participants who continue to engage in the study. In this way, we can continuously add participants to the study, collect snapshots of data across time, and assess trends longitudinally. Our household and child care provider surveys are national in scope, though not technically nationally representative.
California Statewide Survey
The RAPID-California voices project aims to survey 10,000 families with young children across the state from 2022-2025. Initiated in November 2022, this multi-year, statewide survey of households with young children aims to better understand the experiences and needs of families, amplify parent voices, and promote data- and parent-informed policies and programs. Click here to learn more.
Community Voices Projects
Through the Community Voices Projects we currently field place-based surveys in six communities across the US in partnership with trusted local organizations. Partnering organizations share a demand for actionable, timely and relevant community-level data on the experiences, needs, use of programs and resources, well-being of adults in the lives of young children. Community partners and RAPID collaborate to co-design a data collection plan and survey content, implement locally led recruitment strategies, and analyze, understand, and communicate the results. We aim to amplify parent voices locally, complement existing data collection, and build local capacity to transform data and caregiver voices to action. RAPID is an early childhood and family well-being survey that launched in April 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our objectives are to collect essential information from households and families with young children and to provide actionable data to key stakeholders to inform immediate and long-term program and policy decisions.
Dynamic Survey Tool
Our innovative approach allows us to revise and add to the survey in an ongoing manner. As circumstances during the pandemic have continued to evolve for families, child care providers and communities, we have adapted the survey to collect data on those changing circumstances in near real-time. Our core questions focus on emotional well-being, experiences of material hardship, access to and use of child care, and use of preventive health care. We add content to these core items through topical modules. We receive input and guidance on new content from our National Advisory Council, Policy Working Group, collaborators, and participants themselves.
Data Analysis & Review
Once the surveys are collected, our team analyzes the data for insights into the topics of the month as well as areas of ongoing interest. A review group made up of university-affiliated developmental psychologists reviews all analysis and results for accuracy. Our National Advisory Council then advises on the interpretation of the data and our communication of the findings. The RAPID project overall is reviewed by a Data Audit Team comprised of survey research methodologists and other researchers.
Survey Methodology
The RAPID data we collect spans from large national projects to smaller community projects that employ frequent online surveys to examine how U.S. households and child care providers are being impacted by various socio-economic factors, environmental changes, and shifts in public policies. All study procedures are approved by the Stanford University Institutional Review Board, which oversees human subjects research ethics for all studies conducted at the University. Our primary participant recruitment strategy is through partnerships with family- and workforce-facing organizations, as well as email listservs (e.g., ParentsTogether) and some social media ads (e.g., Facebook).
Our projects included two types of surveys: the initial recruitment surveys and the ongoing assessment surveys. Participants who are interested in the study are first invited to fill out the initial recruitment survey to determine eligibility, provide consent (if eligible), and answer an initial series of questions. For the household survey, eligibility criteria for the responding parent or guardian include being 18 years or older, being a primary caregiver of a child under six years old, being fluent in English and/or Spanish, and living in the U.S. Eligible and consented parents were then entered into the participant pool. For the provider survey, eligibility criteria include being 18 years or older, being a child care provider who takes care of one or more children under age six (who is not their own child), being fluent in English and/or Spanish, and living in the U.S. In order to be eligible for both the household and provider surveys, the participant must consent to being recontacted for ongoing assessment surveys.