Committed to Caring: Cluster-Analysis of Appraisals and Feelings of Family Childcare Work.

Christen E Park,Lieny Jeon,Katherine M Zinsser

doi:10.1007/s10566-021-09625-1

Abstract

BackgroundThere is a concern regarding the decreasing number of family childcare (FCC) providers, due to the population that primarily relies on it. Compared to studies of center- and school-based preschool practitioners, the FCC literature is lacking robust workforce studies, including examinations of whether and how FCC providers’ workplace appraisals of and feelings while at work are associated with indicators of interaction quality (relationships with families, relationships with children, and responsiveness to children's negative emotions) and the quality of their interactions with children and families.ObjectiveThe present study examines how groups of FCC providers, categorized based on differences in appraisals of and feelings experienced at work, differ in the quality of interactions with children and families. The study seeks to extend the FCC literature by also describing socio-ecological factors, such as provider and program characteristics, of these different groups of providers.MethodSurvey data was collected through a national study of FCC providers (N = 888). A person-centered analysis using hierarchical clustering was used to classify providers into groups based on their workplace appraisals and feelings experienced at work.ResultsA person-centered cluster analysis identified four groups. Indicators of interaction quality varied between groups. Group membership was associated with FCC providers' professional commitment, job satisfaction, and emotional exhaustion.ConclusionsFindings from the current study support calls to increase investment in the support of the FCC workforce by addressing FCC providers’ needs through recognition of differences in workplace appraisals and provider feelings at work. In particular, reducing FCC providers’ emotional exhaustion may be an effective way to increase the quality of their interactions with children and families.

Highlights

Child Care (FCC) is non-parental care provided by caregivers in their own home
To inform future intervention and workforce retention initiatives, we sought to understand whether family childcare (FCC) providers clustered around similar ratings of professional commitment, job satisfaction, and perceived competence, and their emotional experiences
Four distinct groups of FCC providers were identified based on their appraisals of and emotional experiences at work

Summary

Introduction

Child Care (FCC) is non-parental care provided by caregivers in their own home. During that same time period, the number of large FCC facilities with two or more people providing care showed a slight increase (National Center on Early Childhood Quality Assurance, 2020) This overall decrease in the FCC workforce has been attributed to a decline in enrollment, as families withdraw children from care, and new licensing requirements and provider requirements are implemented (National Center on Early Childhood Quality Assurance, 2015). This decline in the workforce is concerning because the children who rely on FCC are mostly the infants and toddlers of working families, often living in communities historically under-served by center-based childcare (National Survey of Early Child Care & Education Project Team, 2016; Porter et al, 2010). Reducing FCC providers’ emotional exhaustion may be an effective way to increase the quality of their interactions with children and families

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