Historically, there has been a lack of nationally representative data that describe the decisionmaking process parents use when seeking early care and education (ECE) arrangements for their children. This brief describes findings from the National Survey of Early Care and Education (NSECE) about how families make these types of decisions. The survey was given to a sample of families who had searched for care for a young child (birth to 5 years) in the past 2 years. The brief concludes with questions for further exploration by state leaders. (author abstract)