Center-based Child Care Research Articles

Center-based childcare during infancy: The relations with functional brain networks and self-regulation in young children

Given the substantial increase in children attending center-based childcare over the past decades, the consequences of center-based childcare for children’s development have gained more attention in developmental research. However, the relation between center-based childcare and children’s neurocognitive development remains relatively underexplored. The aim of this study was therefore to examine the relations between quantity of center-based childcare during infancy and the neurocognitive development (both functional brain networks and self-regulation) of 584 Dutch children. Small-world brain networks and children’s self-regulation were assessed during infancy (around 10 months of age) and the preschool period (2–6 years of age). The findings revealed that the quantity of center-based childcare during infancy was unrelated to individual differences in children’s functional brain networks. However, spending more hours per week in center-based childcare was positively related to the development of self-regulation in preschool age children, regardless of children’s sex or the levels of exposure to risk and maternal support in the home environment. More insight into the positive effects of center-based childcare on children’s development from infancy to toddlerhood can help to increase our insight into a better work–life balance and labor force participation of parents with young children. Moreover, this study highlights that Dutch center-based childcare offers opportunities to invest in positive child outcomes in children, including self-regulation.

Early childcare and developmental delay risk at 3.5 years: Insights from the French ELFE cohort.

We tested the association between early childcare attendance in the first three years of life and child development at age 3.5years in the French context, where early childcare is subsidized. In the ELFE (Étude Longitudinale Français depuis l'Enfance) birth cohort study set in metropolitan France, children's development was reported by parents at age 3.5years (n = 11,033) via the Child Development Inventory (CDI) questionnaire. CDI scores were transformed into a development quotient (DQ), with a DQ < 90 corresponding to possible and a DQ < 85 corresponding to a probable developmental delay. Inverse probability weighted multivariable regression models were used to analyse whether early childcare in the first three years of life (centre-based, childminder, informal or parental care) was associated to development delay. Compared to children in exclusive parental care, those in centre-based childcare (CBC) or with a childminder prior to school entry were significantly less likely to experience possible (OR = 0.56, [95% CI = 0.51-0.61] for CBC and OR = 0.77, [95% CI = 0.72-0.83] for childminder attendance) and probable developmental delay (OR = 0.62, [0.58-0.67] for CBC and OR = 0.80 [0.76-0.83] for childminder). Informal childcare attendance was not significantly associated with children's possible nor probable developmental delay ((OR = 0.97, [0.84-1.12]) and (OR = 0.97, [0.82-1.15]), respectively). Conclusions: Overall, our findings add to the existing scientific literature, showing that in the French context, where childcare can start as early as 3months of age, early childcare attendance can contribute to child's development. What's Known on This Subject: • Studies on early childcare attendance and child development have shown mixed results, associations with better psychomotor development mainly being observed in Nordic countries, while some studies in other countries such as the USA showed no or negative associations. What This Study Adds: • In a country with broad and subsidized access to childcare such as France, access to early childhood education can positively contribute to children's psychomotor development. However, we found that access to childcare does not appear to reduce social inequalities in children's psychomotor development.

Object exploration is facilitated by the physical and social environment in center-based child care.

Object exploration is considered a driver of motor, cognitive, and social development. However, little is known about how early childhood education and care settings facilitate object exploration. This study examined if children's exploration of objects during free play was facilitated by the use of particular spatial components (floor, tables, and activity centers) and types of play (solitary, social, and parallel). Participants were 61 children (aged 11 to 48 months and 50.8% boys, socioeconomic levels representative of the Dutch population). Intraindividual variability in children's object exploration was predicted by the use of particular spatial components and the social setting, with small-to-medium effect sizes. Solitary and parallel play were positively associated with complex object exploration, especially when sitting or standing at child-height tables. During social play, object exploration was mostly absent.

Early childcare arrangements and children's internalizing and externalizing symptoms: an individual participant data meta-analysis of six prospective birth cohorts in Europe

Early childcare attendance may be related to children's internalizing and externalizing symptoms throughout childhood and young adolescence, however evidence from Europe is limited. We aimed to assess this association across multiple population-based birth cohorts of children recruited in different European countries. Data come from six parent-offspring prospective birth cohort studies across five European countries within the EU Child Cohort Network. A total of 87,208 parent-child dyads were included in the study. To test associations between childcare attendance (centre-based or informal) anytime between ages 0 and 4 years and children's internalizing and externalizing symptoms in middle childhood and young adolescence (measured at: 5-6 years, 7-9 years, and 10-13 years) a two-stage individual participant data meta-analysis was implemented. Linear regression models were performed in each cohort separately; combined random-effects meta-analysis was then used to obtain overall association estimates. In secondary analyses, we tested interactions between childcare attendance and mother's post-partum depression, low education status, and the child's sex. Compared to children who were exclusively cared for by their parents prior to school entry, those who attended centre-based childcare had lower levels of internalizing symptoms in all age groups [5-6 years: β:-1.78 (95% CI:-3.39,-0.16); 7-9 years: β:-0.55 (95% CI:-0.88,-0.73); 10-13 years: β:-0.76 (95% CI:-1.15,-0.37)]. Children who attended informal childcare appeared to have elevated levels of internalizing symptoms between 7-9 and 10-13 years, respectively [β: 1.65 (95% CI: 1.25, 2.06); β: 1.25 (95% CI: 0.96, 1.54)]. Informal childcare attendance was also associated with increased levels of children's externalizing symptoms between 7-9 and 10-13 years, respectively [β: 2.84 (95% CI: 1.41, 4.26); β: 2.19 (95% CI: 0.54, 3.84)]. Early centre-based childcare is associated with decreased levels of children's internalizing symptoms compared to exclusive parental care. For informal childcare, opposite associations were observed. Overall, our results suggest that centre-based childcare attendance may be associated with slight positive impacts on children's emotional development and should be encouraged by public policies. In addition, children from socioeconomically disadvantaged families require special attention, as they may not sufficiently benefit from universal early childhood education and care (ECEC). This research was funded by the ERC Consolidator grant RESEDA (Horizon Europe, 101001420).

Centre-based childcare in early childhood and child obesity: systematic review and meta-analysis protocol

ObjectivesCentre-based childcare has been identified as a promising environment for obesity prevention in early childhood, but the longitudinal relationships between attending centre-based childcare and child obesity are not well understood....

The Impacts of Childcare Interventions on Children’s Outcomes in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review

Center-based childcare programs are expanding rapidly in low-and middle-income countries. The impacts of these programs on women's labor market outcomes are consistently positive, but what are the impacts on children's developmental outcomes? We systematically review 71 studies of center-based childcare interventions that report impacts on children and find that most (93 percent of studies and 81 percent of estimates) have positive point estimates. Girls tend to benefit more than boys, but poorer children do not consistently benefit more or less than wealthier children. These results are consistent across experimental and quasi-experimental studies.

0840 Center-based Childcare Attendance and Sleep in Children Under Six Years Old: A Systematic Review

0840 Center-based Childcare Attendance and Sleep in Children Under Six Years Old: A Systematic Review

Secure communities as immigration enforcement: How secure is the child care market?

Immigrants comprise nearly 20% of the child care workforce in the U.S. This paper studies the impact of a major immigration enforcement policy, Secure Communities (SC), on the structure and functioning of the child care market. Relying on the staggered introduction of SC across counties between 2008 and 2014, we find that the program reduced children’s participation in center-based child care programs. The estimated reductions are substantially larger among advantaged children and in jurisdictions with a greater fraction of undocumented individuals. We also find that SC reduced the equilibrium supply and wages of immigrant and native workers in the center-based sector as well as the number of center-based facilities. There is no compensating increase in the home-based or private household sectors. Our findings suggest that immigrants and natives are likely to be complements in child care service production.

Center-based childcare access to health screenings and developmental assessments in US children from birth to five

Center-based childcare access to health screenings and developmental assessments in US children from birth to five

Policies addressing suspension and expulsion in state early care and education subsystems: A national census of policy alignment and integration

Exclusion from early care and education (ECE) programs creates employment challenges for families and disrupts learning for children, often differentially impacting children placed at-risk due to income, race, and disability. Federal policy guidance and changes in the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Block Grant requirements are meant to influence states to create policies that will both regulate and prevent disciplinary exclusions, especially suspension and expulsion. We present a national census of states’ CCDF plans, center-based child care licensing regulations, and state pre-K policies addressing suspension and expulsion. Using content analysis methodology, we evaluate the presence of key policy components of suspension and expulsion prevention including data collection, parent/family involvement in the process of exclusions, accessing community resources, and the use of developmental information to inform the use of exclusionary discipline. Our results indicate that expulsion and suspension policies vary widely both across states, and within the same state's subsystems. The component found most frequently across all subsystems is an expulsion policy, with noticeable variation in specifying and defining suspension. Our findings also point to a great deal of variance in policy alignment, with pre-K including the most information on expulsion and suspension policies and prevention. As state-level policymakers seek to adopt policies that reduce exclusion in ECE, our findings point to a need to consider the importance of creating policies that protect children, especially those over exposed to exclusionary discipline, and then aligning those components within and across ECE subsystems to promote equitable access to ECE. This is particularly important for low-income families, Black children, children with disabilities, and boys.

Effects of Center-Based Child Care on Disadvantaged Children: Evidence from a Randomized Research Design

Effects of Center-Based Child Care on Disadvantaged Children: Evidence from a Randomized Research Design

The link between hours of center-based childcare and child development in 3- to 6-year-olds: Evidence from Singapore

This study examined how the number of hours of early childhood education (ECE) is associated with young children's behavior problems and early academic achievement in Singapore, a non-WEIRD (“Western, educated, industrialized, rich, democratic”) country with families using long ECE hours. We drew data from the Singapore Longitudinal Early Development Study. Participants were 3- to 6-year-old children (N = 2,452). General linear models and spline regressions were utilized to analyze how ECE hours were associated with children's behavior problems and early academic achievement while controlling for child and family characteristics. On average, Singaporean children stayed 41.07 hours per week in ECE centers, with 38 % of the sampled children spending more than 50 hours per week in ECE centers. Notably, we found an inverted-U-shaped relation between ECE hours and child outcomes with a turning point of approximately 35–40 hours per week. Before the turning point, a greater number of hours in ECE was associated with more externalizing problems and higher academic achievement. However, after this point, a greater number of hours was associated with fewer behavior problems, both externalizing and internalizing, as well as poorer academic achievement. These findings demonstrate a complex nonlinear association between ECE hours and child outcomes in a context of children spending prolonged hours in centers.

Investigating the association between professional development and educators’ beliefs in U.S. center- and home-based early childhood education

The child-centered beliefs held by educators in early childhood education (ECE) are important in high-quality interactions between children and adults and are central to the recent policy emphasis on childcare quality. Using a national ECE workforce sample of home- and center-based centers from the 2019 National Survey of Early Care and Education (N=7,505), this study examined the relationships between professional development experiences and ECE educators' child-centered beliefs measured by a revised Parental Modernity Scale. We focused on the three PD models of mentoring and coaching, workshops, and college courses, and found that attending college courses was related to greater child-centered beliefs in home-based educators. Mentoring and coaching were found to effectively promote center-based educators’ beliefs. In terms of the contexts that support PD participation in home- and center-based childcare programs, our findings suggest that providing more opportunities to participate in coaching and college courses can offer effective support and thus improve ECE quality. The policy and practical implications of the findings are discussed.

Centre-based childcare crisis amid economic turmoil in Sri Lanka: Advocating for equitable quality, accessibility, and affordability

No abstract available

Measuring Quality in Two Early Childhood Education Contexts: Centre-Based Childcare and Four-Year-Old Preschool

The quality of early childhood experiences is crucial to a child&amp;rsquo;s development and educational success. Yet few early childhood education and care services in the world today offer a consistently high level of educational quality. In particular, educational quality depends on the context&amp;rsquo;s characteristics. The aim of this study was therefore to measure and compare the educational quality experienced in two distinct educational contexts, located in Quebec: early childhood centres and 4-year-old preschools. Results of the study indicate that there are very few significant differences between these two educational contexts in terms of interaction quality and pedagogical orientations quality, while variables related to structural quality vary greatly. Correlational and regression analyses carried out separately on each educational context show that few variables are predictive of interaction quality levels, suggesting that other variables, notably related to pedagogical orientations quality, would better explain variations in adult-child interactions predictive of child development. These results have implications for initial training curriculum aimed towards adults working in early childcare and for future directions in research on educational quality, including rethinking the importance of pedagogical orientations and structures in the ecosystemic model of quality.

Inequalities in Resources for Preschool-Age Children by Parental Education: Evidence from Six Advanced Industrialized Countries

This paper provides new evidence on inequalities in resources for children age 3–4 by parental education using harmonized data from six advanced industrialized countries—United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Netherlands, and Japan—that represent different social welfare regime types. We analyze inequalities in two types of resources for young children—family income, and center-based child care—applying two alternative measures of parental education—highest parental education, and maternal education. We hypothesize that inequalities in resources by parental education will be less pronounced in countries where social policies are designed to be more equalizing. The results provide partial support for this hypothesis: the influence of parental education on resources for children does vary by the social policy context, although not in all cases. We also find that the measurement of parental education matters: income disparities are smaller under a maternal-only definition whereas child care disparities are larger. Moreover, the degree of divergence between the two sets of estimates differs across countries. We provide some of the first systematic evidence about how resources for young children vary depending on parents’ education and the extent to which such inequalities are buffered by social policies. We find that while early inequalities are a fact of life in all six countries, the extent of those inequalities varies considerably. Moreover, the results suggest that social policy plays a role in moderating the influence of parental education on resources for children.

Protocol for a mixed-methods investigation of quality improvement in early childhood education and care in Australia

International recognition of the early years as a crucial foundational period has led to the design and implementation of quality rating and improvement systems (QRIS) that define, communicate, and monitor the components of quality in early childhood education and care (ECEC). The aim of these policies is to achieve effective quality assurance and improvement through a system-oriented approach to assessment and evaluation. Informed by ecological systems theory, this paper outlines a three-phase, mixed-methods design for researching a national sample of child care centres that showed overall improvement on the Australian National Quality Standard (NQS) assessment and rating (A&R) criteria. The study samples are drawn from a national dataset of centre-based child care services with two or more A&R rounds and an initial rating of Working Towards NQS (N = 1,935). The results of this study will provide insights into the macro-, exo-, meso- and micro-systems level factors and strategies that support quality in ECEC services.

The Effectiveness of Physical Activity Policies in Center-Based Childcare: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

ABSTRACT Purpose: Many young children spend a significant portion of time in center-based childcare settings; however, these children are often not sufficiently active during care. Promoting physical activity through policy implementation is one mechanism which has the potential to increase physical activity. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to provide an overview of physical activity policies implemented in childcare centers and determine their effect on children’s physical activity. Methods: Electronic searches were conducted in CINAHL, Medline, PsycINFO, EMBASE, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, and Sports Medicine and Education Database. Two reviewers independently examined 3,286 articles to find peer-reviewed, original studies that assessed the impact of physical activity policies on children’s physical activity. Random effects meta-analyses were used to determine the impact of policies. Results: A total of 13 articles met the inclusion criteria; in which 12 unique policies were implemented. Results of the meta-analyses suggest that introducing new physical activity policies did not increase children’s moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA); however, compared to centers without a formalized physical activity policy, children in centers with a formalized policy engaged in significantly more MVPA and total physical activity. Conclusions: Introducing new physical activity policies alone may not be sufficient to increase children’s engagement in physical activity, and it may be important to combine with capacity-building initiatives for childcare staff and early childhood educators. Results reinforce the value of childcare centers implementing their own formalized physical activity policies to support children’s physical activity, which highlights the importance of regulating physical activity practices in childcare. Registration: CRD42022326037.

Variation in child care access across neighborhood types: A two-step floating catchment area (2SFCA) approach

Finding safe and high-quality child care is critical to working parents. However, research suggests that formal child care—both family child care and center-based child care—is in short supply in the U.S. We hypothesize that compared to urban neighborhoods, child care access will be lower in outlying suburban neighborhoods with newer and less developed social infrastructure. Applying the 2SFCA method, we predict variation in the supply of child care relative to demand—a measure of child care access—across California neighborhoods that vary by geography as well as sociodemographic and employment characteristics. Similar to prior research, we find that percent Latinx of a neighborhood is associated with lower child care access. In terms of neighborhood type, as we predict, we find that child care access is lower in newly developed suburban areas compared to most other neighborhood types. This finding suggests the importance of incentives to create formal child care facilities in new suburbs, neighborhoods that house a quarter of all young children in the state.

Childhood Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption: an Agent-Based Model of Context-Specific Reduction Efforts

Despite widespread recognition among public health experts that childhood sugar-sweetened beverage consumption should be reduced, doing so has proven to be a challenge. An agent-based model of early childhood sugar-sweetened beverage consumption was applied to data from three high-quality, longitudinal cohort studies to gain insight into potentially effective intervention strategies across contexts. From 2021 to 2023, a single agent-based model design was applied to data sets derived from three separate cohorts of children followed from infancy to childhood, with very different populations and environments (participants recruited in 1999-2002; 2003-2010; and 2009-2014). After assessing its ability to reproduce observed consumption patterns across cohorts, it was used to simulate potential impacts of multiple intervention strategies across contexts. Interventions reducing home availability of sugar-sweetened beverages consistently had the largest potential effects. Impact differed between cohort settings: a complete decrease in availability resulted in an estimated 87% decrease in overall early childhood consumption for one of the cohorts, compared with 61% and 54% in the others. Reducing availability in center-based child care resulted in substantially greater reduction in one cohort relative to the other two. There is untapped potential for strategies targeting children's sugar-sweetened beverage consumption in the home, but in some instances, other approaches might also yield meaningful effects. Tailoring approach to setting may be important, and agent-based models can be informative for doing so. This agent-based model has broad generalizability and potential to serve as a tool for designing effective, context-specific strategies to reduce childhood sugar-sweetened beverage consumption.