Childcare Services Research Articles

The Impact of COVID-19 on Women and Work: Career Advancement Challenges

The COVID-19 pandemic upended countless lives all over the world. Considerable research has shown that women’s career progression has been more negatively impacted by the pandemic than men’s, especially in the wake of school closures and increased childcare responsibilities. In order to understand more deeply the impact of the pandemic on women’s careers, a large mixed-method survey was conducted in Utah, a western state in the United States. This article reports on the responses of 2564 respondents to one of three open-ended questions taken from the overall survey, namely: “How has the pandemic impacted your career advancement experiences and opportunities over the short term and longer term?” The article frames the findings of this question by outlining workplace conditions and structures that contributed to women not advancing prior to the pandemic and applies the lenses of identity theory and systems psychodynamic theory to illustrate tendencies for workers and organizations to maintain the gendered dynamics that impede women’s career advancement. Findings included 59.1 percent of respondents who described a negative effect on their career advancement caused by the pandemic. Overarching themes and sub-themes were identified from these negative effects. Overarching themes included: (1) “Everything is on hold”; (2) “Lost or relinquished opportunity”; (3) “Reevaluation of Career”; and (4) “Experiences by Characteristics.” The latter theme highlighted unique experiences women faced versus men and manifested the gendered dynamics identified by identity and psychodynamic theories. Findings highlighted the importance of making workplace changes such as more flexible work and/or hybrid work arrangements, improved leave policies, the provision of childcare and other support services, and government policies that eliminate gendered barriers to women’s career advancement.

Aggressive parenting behavior among grandparents providing childcare for grandchildren: A case study of Shenzhen, China.

BackgroundGrandparents play an essential role in childrearing and fill the parenting gap for dual-earner Chinese families. Many Chinese grandparents engage heavily in childcare, which may increase the risk of child abuse. ObjectiveThis study aimed to examine grandparental use of psychological and physical aggression toward children and explore its associated risk factors. Participants and settingThis was a cross-sectional study which involved purposive sampling of 278 grandparents (204 females and 74 males) taking care of at least one grandchild below 18 years old in Shenzhen, China. MethodsInformation on childcare was collected, including grandparents' use of psychological and physical aggression and their involvement in childcare in terms of intensity and activity. ResultsAn alarming percentage (57.1 %) of grandparents had used psychological aggression, while 26.5 % had used corporal punishment, in the past year. The average use of psychological aggression and corporal punishment was 16.10 times and 10.08 times per year, respectively. Grandparents taking care of two or more grandchildren were more likely to use psychological aggression and corporal punishment compared to those taking care of only one grandchild. Higher mental and physical health summary scores were associated with lower likelihood of psychological and physical aggression of grandparents. ConclusionsThis study advances our understanding of negative grandparenting behavior in childcare. As grandparents play a significant role in childcare, we need to improve their grandparenting skills, provide more formal childcare services to ease their childcare burden, and support their physical and mental well-being to reduce the risk of child abuse.

Assessment of Abuses of Children with Disabilities in Japanese Nursery Schools by Municipality

Introduction: Many children with disabilities and latent characteristics are cared for in nursery schools (daycare centres). Paediatricians commissioned by nursery schools in our previous survey proved the occurrence of disabled children abused in schools. As the parents of the alleged victims were likely to contact the municipality, a survey of the municipalities managing childcare was requested.
 Methods: The target group was local authorities' childcare service management departments (public authorities). Questionnaires were sent twice to 1,742 municipalities from late 2012 to the fiscal year (FY) 2014. Incidents were collected by inquiring about implementing preventive measures and reasonable accommodations.
 Results: The number of municipalities that responded was 490 and 595, respectively, and 38 and 7 municipalities received complaints from parents that instructors had abused their children with disabilities. Based on the number of reports, the incidence of abuse in nursery schools in 2014 was estimated to be 0.0077% (95% CI: 0.0059–0.0094) and 0.0208% (0.0073–0.0344) for children with disabilities. In the 2014-2015 research periods, more teachers and staff were made aware of the consultation service as a preventive measure, and more emphasis was placed on the informed consent of parents as a reasonable accommodation. Regional characteristics, classified by the percentage of children, influenced the implementation of some measures.
 Conclusion: The incidence in Japan was estimated to be lower than in other countries.

Barriers experienced by nurses in communication for sexual health education for children with intellectual disability: a qualitative study

Nurses have important responsibilities in the development of health and care services for children with intellectual disabilities. This is because it is usually the nurse who first encounters the child in all kinds of care and treatment services. Barriers to the provision of sexual healthcare by nurses have not yet been clearly discovered. This study aimed to identify the barriers experienced by nurses regarding communication for sexual health education for children with intellectual disabilities. This study was carried out with 19 nurses through in-depth interviews. The thematic analysis method was used for data analysis. Four themes emerged related to barriers in communication for sexual health education for children with intellectual disabilities by nurses as (1) communication of nurses with their patients, (2) communication on an individual level, (3) communication on the family level, and (4) institutional factors. These barriers included the lack of knowledge of children, families, and nurses, insufficient institutional support, attitudes towards sexuality and stigmatization of the family, and the prevention of sexual health education services by the aggressive behaviors of children. It is recommended to provide sexual health education to nurses and families to minimize problems in the sexual health of children with intellectual disabilities. Nurses should also be trained on sexual health policy and how to put it into practice.

Do childcare policies and schedule control enhance variable time workers' work–life balance? A gender analysis across European countries

AbstractVariable time work is no longer abnormal in the post‐industrial economy and is accelerating due to digitisation and the COVID‐19 pandemic. Previous studies have revealed a causal relationship between working time variability and work–life balance at the individual level; however, there has been less discussion of the role of the institutional context. This study examines the interplay among childcare policy, schedule control, and its relationship with work–life balance. We conducted a multilevel analysis using the European Working Conditions Survey. The analyses revealed that childcare policy has a U‐shaped relationship with work–life balance for female variable time workers without schedule control. In contrast, workers with schedule control and male workers did not have a curvilinear relationship with the outcome. Our analyses imply that sufficient childcare intervention and its interaction with schedule control are necessary to offset the negative effect of childcare services on work–life balance.

Social childcare concept: Social community as a childcare partner for working parents

In today's era, it has become easier for working parents to find childcare services because of the growing number of childcare institutions or services. However, limitations in a rural environment requires parents, especially working mothers to find childcare or caregiver substitutes in their social environment. This study aims to describe the concept of social care occurs in rural communities. This exploratory-descriptive qualitative research was carried out in Malang Regency, East Java, using the selected sample and snowball technique. The method used is semistructured interviews conducted with 3 people involved in childcare services for preschool children, and the data analysis model is taken from Miles and Huberman. The research results show that the social care concept has 3 dimensions: the mutually beneficial relationship of social exchange of childcarers and parents; carefree system of child care environment; and co-parenting mechanism. Partnership is performed voluntarily by offering the strategies used to find childcarers by increasing social cohesion in the community and involve children in activities with the social community. This study offers the strategies that can be implemented by working parents in finding childcarers in the social community by prioritizing informal kinship relations.

Gendered labour market patterns across Europe: Does family policy mitigate feminization of outsiders?

Studies have shown positive impact of family policies on women’s labour market participation over the last decades. How, then, does it influence the types of jobs women obtain when they (re-)enter the labour market? Using multi-level modelling, this study examines how different work–family balance policies (that is, leave policies, childcare services) shape gendered labour market patterns and whether or not it mitigates women’s overrepresentation among the labour market Outsiders across Europe. I use European Working Conditions Survey 2015 data and cover 30 European countries. Specifically focusing on women’s relative likelihood of being labour market Outsiders compared to men, I find that certain policies help women avoid being Outsiders, while the others may reinforce the existing gender inequality in the labour market. This resonates with the welfare state paradox and family policy trade-off literature that the policies that do not disrupt the gender norms may in turn maintain or enhance them.

Beliefs and Norms Influencing Initiation and Sustenance of Exclusive Breastfeeding: Experiences of Mothers in Primary Health Care Facilities in Ermelo, South Africa.

Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is not a norm in many communities in South Africa despite the World Health Organizations' recommendations for EBF in the first six months of infant's life. Thus, South Africa continues to observe suboptimal and poor practices of EBF. The purpose of the study was to explore the experiences of mothers who are HIV-positive and negative on EBF and examine the extent to which initiation and sustenance of EBF is influenced by cultural beliefs, societal norms, and family norms and practices in Mpumalanga Province. Three focus group discussions and twelve in-depth interviews were conducted among thirty mothers who were purposively selected during their visits to the facilities for childcare services. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and transcripts were analysed through thematic analysis using NVivo version 10. Mothers were aged between 18 and 42 years, most were unemployed and were living in poor sociodemographic backgrounds in extended family households. We found evidence of factors that influence the decision to EBF and mix feed infants among mothers. Traditional and cultural beliefs and norms that exist within their communities informed decisions mothers took to EBF. These beliefs existed alongside mothers' opinions on breastfeeding (BF) and HIV infection, as well as the fears of harming the baby through HIV infection, leading to early cessation of BF. Mothers were also advised by family members, friends, and even some healthcare workers to use traditional medicines while BF. The association of EBF with sagging breasts and weight loss as well as discomfort with public BF are personal beliefs that influenced initiation and early cessation of EBF. Breastfeeding messages ought to be context specific to improve the knowledge, understanding, acceptance and practice of EBF among HIV-positive and negative mothers. Culturally appropriate counselling messages that address the known cultural practices of the populations affected are essential to changing the beliefs and norms of the communities including extended families of EBF mothers.

Regional Differences in Chinese Female Demand for Childcare Services of 0-3 Years: The Moderating and Mediating Effects of Family Childcare Context.

There are multiple reasons to consider the use of formal childcare: parental employment, child development, fertility choices, elderly health, generational relations, etc. This study explores the relationship between regional differences (urban/rural; eastern/central/western) and demand for childcare services (quantity, price, quality) from birth to three years of age, moderated and mediated by the family childcare contexts among Chinese women. Altogether, 1770 mothers of children aged 0-3 were selected from a national survey and analyzed. There are three major findings: (1) Urban mothers show a willingness to spend on the higher monetary cost of center-based childcare compared to rural mothers, as a result of more severe work-child conflicts faced by urban women. Urban-rural gaps in individual and household income also contribute to the differences in affordability. (2) Mothers in eastern China have a more substantial need to place their infants or toddlers in nurseries before the age of three than their counterparts in central and western China, primarily due to a lack of grandparental and paternal childcare support and an expectation of higher quality programs. (3) There is no significant regional disparity in terms of care-related or education-related quality preferences. The paper proposes regional prioritized strategies and targeted services to address the "3A" problems of childcare provision.

How people’s concepts of marriage, childbearing, childrearing, and child education affect their fertility willingness and behaviour under the three-child policy in China?

Abstract Fertility is not only related to childbearing but also relevant to marriage, childrearing, and child education. To explore how Chinese people’s concepts of marriage, childbearing, childrearing, and child education affect their fertility willingness and behaviour in the context of the three-child policy, an empirical investigation was conducted through a questionnaire survey of 507 respondents and semi-structured interviews with 40 respondents in 2022. Some key issues are revealed: First, betrothal gifts are commonly recognized; late marriage is widely accepted; and out-of-wedlock birth is largely disapproved. Secondly, the importance of traditional reproductive purposes has declined but still significantly affects some respondents. Fertility willingness is very low for three children but relatively high for two children. The four most important reasons for not having three children are: limited economic conditions; shortage of childcare; high costs of raising children; and concerns about career development. Thirdly, grandparents are the primary child caregivers in addition to parents. Women undertake more childcare compared with their spouses. Inclusive and high-quality childcare services are highly needed. Fourthly, the family is over-reliant on school education but undervalues family education. The costs of education and training are the primary financial burden of childrearing. This article puts forward four recommendations following a discussion of the investigation.

Changing faces of political women in Tokyo

AbstractThis article has two objectives. One is to explain the rise of female political representation in local assemblies in Tokyo's 23 Special Wards. The other is to examine how political women in Japan have or have not changed since the publication of Susan Pharr's Political Women in Japan in 1981. When Tokyo first saw the emergence of a new type of local assembly women in the 1990s, they consisted of well-educated suburban housewives who led the Seikatsusha Nettowaku movement. In the past 15 years, however, Tokyo has witnessed a decline in ‘housewife politicians’ and a further diversification in the types of political women. This article pays special attention to a new type of political women called Mama Giin (literally, mommy politicians). Mama Giin are professional working mothers, who have become local assembly women to address deficiencies in childcare services. Their numbers increased as socio-economic changes and party realignment reshaped supply and demand for female candidates in Tokyo. Most of them accept the gendered responsibilities for childcare very much like Pharr's New Women did in the 1970s. The younger cohorts of highly educated women enjoy greater job options and life choices unavailable to the New Women of their mothers' generation. However, they do not necessarily challenge Japan's patriarchy. This article examines the biographies of female local politicians in Tokyo's 23 Special Ward assemblies to understand the rise of Mama Giin.

Dopady pandemie na sólo rodiče a jejich potřebu neformální pomoci

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected the work, personal, and family lives of all Czechs. In this regard, single parents are one of the most vulnerable groups. They are very frequent recipients of external support, provided by the state or by grandparents. Government restrictions, accompanied by, among other things, reduced availability of institutional childcare services, have significantly increased parents’ demand for informal childcare. However, grandparents have not been able to fully satisfy this demand. Within the proposed typology, the so-called risk group of single parents who did not receive the required childcare support concerning school preparation or free time, as well financial or material help, was identified. The size of this group grew during the pandemic. According to regression analysis, parents of preschool and younger school children, working in precarious forms of work, in a low-income situation, and/or in rental housing, were at higher risk of falling into the group of single parents who need informal support

Improving educational and reproductive outcomes for adolescent mothers in South Africa: A cross-sectional analysis towards realising policy goals

ABSTRACT Adolescent mothers face numerous challenges. This study aimed to address the operationalisation of the new South African national policy for young mothers by testing the associations of potential protective provisions with three policy goals: School return, grade promotion, and pregnancy/HIV prevention. Adolescent mothers aged 12–24 from rural and urban communities of South Africa’s Eastern Cape completed study questionnaires between 2017–2019. Using multivariate multi-level analysis, we simultaneously estimated associations between hypothesized provisions and protective variables and all policy-aligned goals. School return was associated with using formal childcare services, higher confidence and self-efficacy scores, and remaining in school throughout pregnancy. Grade promotion was associated with greater exposure to friendly and respectful health staff, using formal childcare services, higher confidence and self-efficacy scores, and remaining in school throughout pregnancy. Pregnancy/HIV prevention (condom use) was moderately associated with greater exposure to friendly and respectful health staff. There was evidence of synergies of provisions whereby a combination of protective characteristics showed larger positive effects than receipt of any single factor alone. This study provides essential evidence for operationalising South Africa’s new policy on the Prevention and Management of Learner Pregnancy in Schools, and points to implementation strategies that provide low-cost opportunities to promote educational and health outcomes for adolescent mothers.

Research on the standardization of social forces involved in the building of institutions providing childcare services against the backdrop of policies supporting fertility— Taking Hangzhou City in Zhejiang Province as an example

The low fertility rate is becoming a significant barrier to China's population growth. The state actively addresses population issues and makes ongoing improvements to the pertinent policy framework using mechanisms like fertility policy and fertility support policy. Creating equitable childcare options is a crucial endeavor for generating income. In the process of creating childcare services, societal forces play a significant role in addition to the government, but their management and operation in childcare service institutions is fraught with issues. This research offers pertinent countermeasures and recommendations for the development of social forces to engage in the creation of childcare service institutions by way of standardization through the effectiveness evaluation of the existing childcare institutions.

Clients' perspectives on the utilization of reproductive, maternal, neonatal, and child health services in primary health centers during COVID-19 pandemic in 10 States of Nigeria: A cross-sectional study.

Reports from various parts of the world suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic may have severe adverse effects on the delivery and uptake of reproductive health, maternal, neonatal, and child health (RMNCH) services. The objective of the study was to explore women's experiences with utilization of RMNCH services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria, and to elicit their perceptions on ways to sustain effective service delivery during the pandemic. A cross-sectional survey of 2930 women using primary health care facilities for antenatal, delivery, postnatal, and child care services before and after the onset of the pandemic in 10 States of Nigeria were interviewed with a semi-structured questionnaire. Data were collected on women's socio-demographic characteristics and pregnancy histories, the services they sought before and after the pandemic, the challenges they faced in accessing the services, their use of alternative sources of health care, and their recommendations on ways to sustain RMNCH service delivery during the pandemic. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, and multivariable logistic regression using SPSS 20.0. All the statistical analyses were two-tailed with a 95% confidence interval, and the p-value was set at 0.05. The logistic regression results showed that women were at least 56% more likely to report that they used family planning, antenatal, and delivery services before the pandemic than after the pandemic started, but 38% less likely to report use of postnatal services. The experience of difficulty accessing RMNCH services was 23% more likely after the pandemic started than before the pandemic. Three categories of recommendations made by the respondents on measures to sustain RMNCH delivery during the pandemic included 1) facility improvement, and staff recruitment and re-training; 2) free and readily accessible PHC services, and 3) the provision of social safety nets including transportation and palliatives. We conclude that the COVID-19 pandemic limited women's access to antenatal, delivery, and childcare services offered in PHCs in Nigeria. Addressing the recommendations and the concerns raised by women will help to sustain the delivery of RMNCH services during the COVID-19 pandemic and future epidemics or health emergencies in Nigeria.

Government policy, law, and regulation: A perspective on early childhood development in Asia

Early childhood is essential for cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund [UNICEF], 2022). This study aims to explain government policy, law, and regulation, as well as social community participation, for early childhood development in Asia. The qualitative approach was adopted. In-depth interviews were conducted with 10 key informants, employing purposive sampling. Content analysis was performed on the data. The findings revealed that governments have put policies in place to help families with children and to increase access to childcare services. Childcare policies differ by country and are influenced by cultural, economic, and political factors. The government policies law and rules in China, Japan, South Korea, and Thailand aid families with children and provide access to childcare services. However, the level of government support, the availability of childcare facilities, and the extent to which employers are encouraged to provide support for working parents vary. Furthermore, social community participation in childcare services is important and can take various forms, including volunteer work, advocacy, financial support, use of services, and community engagement. By participating in these ways, communities can help to ensure that all children have access to the high-quality care that they need to thrive.

Life Changes during the First COVID-19 Lockdown and Mental Well-Being at Different Stages of the Life Course: Evidence from Five British Cohorts

Objectives: The COVID-19 crisis significantly reshaped individuals’ daily lives and work, potentially also affecting their mental health. This study examines changes in psychological stress, anxiety, and depression during the first lockdown amongst five British cohorts at different stages of the life course: older adolescence, early adulthood, mid-career, and later life. It investigates the correlation between self-reported stress and life changes across a range of domains including health; education and the move to home schooling; working patterns and furlough; and living arrangements and family life. Methods: The study analyses data from 14,130 cohort members participating in the special COVID-19 surveys conducted in May 2020. These surveys are part of the ongoing 1946, 1958, 1970, and 2000-01 British birth cohorts, as well as the Next Steps cohort (born in 1989-90). Probit regression models assess the likelihood of increased stress among individuals reporting pandemic-related life changes compared to those who did not, across a range of different life domains. The study also examines the association between heightened stress and subsequent anxiety and depression. Results: The research highlights the diverse challenges faced by individuals at different life stages during the early phase of the pandemic. Young people faced disrupted education, with many returning to the parental home; parents had to cope with the closure of schools and childcare services, dealing with young children at home; mid-career professionals also found themselves balancing work and family responsibilities; retirees faced cancelled medical appointments and disrupted home care services. All these challenges were associated with significantly increased reported stress among affected individuals; particularly in adolescence and young adulthood, where mental health outcomes were poorer than in older cohorts. Moreover, heightened stress substantially raised the risk of developing anxiety and depression. Conclusions: The study affirms that individuals in various life stages faced exceptional challenges during the initial lockdown, adversely affecting mental well-being. Adolescents and young adults, experiencing more life changes but lacking coping resources, felt the disruption especially heavily. Going forward, given the potential health consequences of prolonged stress, anxiety, and depression, policymakers must consider these temporary challenges through a life course lens when designing appropriate interventions and support services.

Zdravstveni kadrovi i reforma primarne zdravstvene zaštite u Crnoj Gori

Introduction: Universal health coverage reform activities in primary health care in Montenegro were conducted in the period between 2004 and 2012, with the aim of increasing the efficiency of the health care system by ensuring rational use and availability of resources. Aim: The purpose of this study is to describe the health personnel during and after the reform activities in Montenegro. Materials and methods: We adapted the four-dimensional World Health Organization framework to examine availability, accessibility, acceptability and quality of the health personnel in public primary health care facilities, in Montenegro, during and after the reform. Availability, accessibility, acceptability and quality of health personnel were examined using a defined set of proxies. In addition, the latest available data on density rates of health personnel were presented, in order to examine the sustainability of the implemented reforms. The data used included primary health care information system data, data published by the Institute of Public Health of Montenegro, as well as data from a number of official and expert reports by relevant experts and institutions. Results: The total number of physicians employed in primary health care was reduced during the reform by 5%, while the number of nurses was decreased by 35%. At the same time, the number of GPs (chosen doctors for adults) increased, which improved their availability (54.4 in 2015 vs. 36.3 in 2004, per 100,000). Accessibility showed great variations among municipalities. The utilization of health care services, at the national level, increased by 25% in adult health care services. The reduction of the number of nurses was tailored to meet set norms in health care services for adults, women, and children. Reform activities improved the professional competencies of primary health care teams. Conclusion: Primary health care reform improved the availability and accessibility of health personnel and implemented activities that improved their acceptability and quality. It is recommended to establish a permanent body which would continuously monitor the functioning of the primary health care (PHC) system, as well as the changes that occur in PHC, thus ensuring that reform results are maintained and further improved.

Listen to the silent screams...

Üsküdar University Child Development Program and Child Protection and Care Services Program opened a solo exhibition of Photographer K. Deniz Kalaycı on "World Children's Rights Day".

The Effects of Head Start on Low-Income Mothers

Head Start is a federal antipoverty program that provides free childcare, preschool, and related services to disadvantaged families. Research on Head Start has focused almost exclusively on impacts among children. Using data from the Head Start Impact Study, a nationally representative field experiment, the authors estimate treatment effects on maternal employment, economic hardship, and depression. The authors find that Head Start admission generates some improvements among Black mothers but not among other subpopulations. In analyses accounting for treatment intensity, noncompliance, and program substitution, the authors find suggestive evidence that Head Start participation may lead to even greater improvements in these outcomes specifically among Black mothers who would otherwise look after their children at home and when they participate in the program full-time. In conclusion, Head Start likely improves outcomes for some groups of low-income mothers, but these effects are heterogeneous, and they may be small, dose-dependent, or otherwise difficult to detect for many women.