Barriers to the implementation of continuity-of-care practices in child care centers

Abstract

This study examined barriers to the implementation of continuity-of-care practices in child care centers. We collected qualitative and quantitative data for 52 children at four centers that advertise their programs as continuity programs. Of the 52 children, only 7 of the children had been cared for in a single child–caregiver dyad between the time of their entry into child care and either their third birthday or the time of data collection. During their infant–toddler period, the remaining 45 children had experienced 71 cumulative transitions to new child–caregiver dyads. We found that the barrier frequently suggested in the literature and by practitioners, caregiver turnover, was not a significant cause for the non-continuity transitions. The primary barrier that we found was infant caregiver unwillingness or inability to care for children who had developed toddler abilities. A secondary barrier was directors’ reluctance to replace unwilling or unable caregivers with willing and able ones.