Child Care Development Research Articles

Acceptability and feasibility of a group-based intervention to improve outcomes for children at risk for developmental delays in Kenya: A piloted randomized trial.

The Care for Child Development (CCD) program may improve child development outcomes in resource-limited settings, but has not yet been adapted to group-based settings to facilitate sustainable dissemination. In this study, we determined the acceptability and feasibility of a group-based CCD program, with evaluation of program outcomes for child development, home environment, and symptoms of maternal depression as secondary outcomes. We evaluated this adapted program using a 2 × 2 crossover-designed pilot study administered over 10 bi-weekly sessions. Acceptability and feasibility were assessed through focus group discussions using qualitative methods. Child development, home observations, and symptoms of maternal depression were evaluated at baseline, 6months, and 12months and assessed quantitatively. Twenty-six mother-child dyads participated. Overall, they perceived CCD as acceptable and feasible, and especially beneficial within its group-based format. Although there were no measured improvements in child development, improvements in stimulating home environments (mean difference 2.5, 95% C.I. [0.37, 4.72]) were found. Further scale-up of this intervention is needed to determine effectiveness.

A transactional model of career adaptability: Longitudinal links between parental career-related behaviors, parent-child relationship, and career adaptability among Chinese adolescents

Although prior studies have established that parental involvement affects career adaptability, few if any have investigated the reciprocal effect of career adaptability on parental involvement. Based on career construction theory and the transactional model of development, this study aimed to examine the bidirectional associations between specific parental career-related behaviors (i.e., support, interference, and lack of engagement), the parent-child relationship, and career adaptability. A three-wave longitudinal design was used to collect data from 3837 Chinese adolescents (Mage = 16.68, SD = 0.45, 52 % females) at three time points with 1-year intervals. The results revealed: (a) bidirectional relationships between support and career adaptability; (b) bidirectional relationships between parent-child relationship and career adaptability, an association that became stronger during the transition from grade 11 to grade 12; (c) bidirectional relationships between the three different parental career-related behaviors and the parent-child relationship. No difference in strength was observed between the parent-driven effect and the child-driven effect. Remarkably, the parent-child relationship was more strongly associated with career adaptability than with any specific parental career-related behavior. Two potential mechanisms were also identified: (a) the cumulative influence of support on the development of career adaptability and vice versa; (b) a longitudinal mediating role of the parent-child relationship between parental career-related behaviors and career adaptability. This study suggests that career adaptability can develop from career-related support and positive parent-child relationship. Relevant interventions could be integrated into educational and counseling programs to equip parents with effective strategies for supporting their children's career development.

Exploring Children's representations of work: A review investigating content and influences

Middle childhood has been identified as a critical period regarding the exploration and construction of the self, with strong implications for future vocational choices and occupational trajectories. Due to a shortage of both theoretical models and empirical data, a knowledge gap remains as regards children's perceptions and understandings of the concept of work between the ages of 5–8, and the differential variables influencing these representations. This review aims to fill this gap by providing relevant information with respect to the investigation of the content of children's representations of work, as well as the factors influencing them. Considering the lack of papers covering this topic, this article approaches the subject through adjacent angles such as adult and adolescent representations of work, children's representations of occupations, and children's vocational preferences or career development. A theoretical model of children's mental representations of work is presented, and general methodological avenues are proposed to pursue further investigation on this research topic.

Percepcija roditeljske podrške u karijernom razvoju učenika sa intelektualnom ometenošću

Introduction. Parents are the primary source of advice, information, and mediation in children's career development. For persons with intellectual disabilities, parental support is necessary during all stages of career development, and it is especially important in the period of vocational education. Objectives. The main goal of the paper was to determine how students with intellectual disabilities perceived their parents' support during education for a chosen occupation, with special attention to some factors of the family and school environments. Methodes. The sample consisted of 155 participants with mild intellectual disability undergoing professional training in schools for students with developmental disabilities. The Career-Related Parental Support Scale was used in the research. It was designed to assess adolescent perceptions of parental support across the domains of instrumental assistance, emotional support, verbal encouragement, and career-related modeling. Results. In the sample as a whole, the participants perceived the greatest parental support in the domain of verbal encouragement and the least in career-related modeling. Greater support from their parents in career development was perceived by those who lived in a family environment with both parents, as well as those whose parents were more educated, compared to students of senior classes and those who achieved excellent results, while no differences were found in relation to the gender. Conclusion. The analysis of the obtained results indicated certain deficiencies in the field of career guidance and counseling of students with intellectual disabilities. The obtained findings point to the need to improve cooperation with students' families in this field and empower them in relation to the ways in which they can contribute to the career success of children. Also, the necessity of expanding knowledge in the field of career development for a deeper understanding of the key problems in this field was highlighted.

Urine manganese, cadmium, lead, arsenic, and selenium among autism spectrum disorder children in Kuala Lumpur.

The development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may stem from exposure to environmental pollutants such as heavy metals. The primary objective of this study is to determine the role of heavy metals of concern such as manganese (Mn), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), arsenic (As), and essential trace element selenium (Se) among ASD children in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. A total of 155 preschoolers in Kuala Lumpur between the ages 3 to 6 participated in an unmatched case-control study, comprising ASD children (n=81) recruited from an early intervention program for autism, and 74 children without autism who were recruited from public preschools. Urine samples were collected at home, delivered to the study site, and transported to the environmental lab within 24 hours. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was applied to measure the concentration of heavy metals in the samples. Data were analysed using bivariate statistical tests (Chi-square and T-test) and logistic regression models. This study demonstrated that Cd, Pb, and As urine levels were significantly greater in children without autism relative to those affected with ASD (p<0.05). No significant difference was in the levels of Se (p=0.659) and Mn (p=0.875) between children with ASD and the control group. The majority of children in both groups have urine As, Pb, and Cd values lower than 15.1 µg/dL, 1.0 µg/dL, and 1.0 µg/dL, respectively which are the minimal risk values for noncarcinogenic detrimental human health effect due to the heavy metal's exposure . Factors associated with having an ASD child included being a firstborn, male, and higher parental education levels (adjusted odds ratios (aOR) > 1, p<0.05). Preschoolers in this study demonstrated low levels of heavy metals in their urine samples, which was relatively lower in ASD children compared to the healthy matched controls. These findings may arise from the diminished capacity to excrete heavy metals, especially among ASD children, thereby causing further accumulation of heavy metals in the body. These findings, including the factors associated with having an ASD child, may be considered by healthcare professionals involved in child development care, for early ASD detection. Further assessment of heavy metals among ASD children in the country and interventional studies to develop effective methods of addressing exposure to heavy metals will be beneficial for future reference.

Cadre Knowledge And Self-Efficacy Following Care For Child Development Post Intervention: A Four-Year Prospective Follow-Up Study

Background: Stunting is a significant malnutrition problem in Indonesia, and community health cadres play a vital role in addressing it through programs like Care for Child Development (CCD) training. This study aimed to delineate the knowledge and self-efficacy of cadres who participated in CCD training in Yogyakarta in 2018, comparing their status in 2022. Methods: In October 2022, a quantitative cross-sectional approach was utilized to examine the knowledge and self-efficacy of 56 cadres who had undergone CCD training in 2018, organized by the same authors and documented in a prior publication, with participants selected through total sampling. Three instruments were utilized, including a participant demographic survey, the CKCDI, and the GSES. The paired t-test was employed to analyzed the data. Results: The study's results reveal a significant difference (p=0.002) in the mean knowledge scores of cadres following their participation in the Care For Child Development (CCD) training program in 2018 and four years later. The mean score was 13.39 in 2018, decreased to 11.9 in 2022. Likewise, the self-efficacy component among cadres exhibited a reduction, with mean scores of 30.93 in 2018 and 29.4 in 2022. However, it is important to note that there is no statistically significant difference in self-efficacy (p=0.106). The decline in average knowledge scores over the four-year period may be attributed to potential knowledge decay. Conclusion: This study underscores the significance of sustained training and support for community health workers, emphasizing the need for flexible approaches to maintain their knowledge and self-efficacy over time.

Pathways to scale up early childhood programs: A scoping review of Reach Up and Care for Child Development.

Evidence-based early childhood development (ECD) programs that strengthen nurturing parenting skills and promote early stimulation, such as Reach Up (RU) and Care for Child Development (CCD), are critical investments for interrupting cycles of intergenerational poverty; however, the implementation impact of these programs varies greatly globally. Analyzing systematically the evidence on the implementation pathways based on contexts (i.e., external and internal influences on intervention implementation), implementation strategies (i.e., mechanisms used to promote program initiation, design, and delivery with existing systems), and implementation outcomes (i.e., related to the implementation goals) can increase the likelihood of implementation success. Our scoping review aimed to identify implementation pathways of RU and CCD programs in low- and middle-income countries. A search in English, Spanish, and Portuguese of grey literature and five databases of peer reviewed literature; from inception through July 16, 2022, yielded 2,267 publications. Using predetermined eligibility criteria, 75 records yielded implementation details for 33 programs across 23 low- and middle-income countries. Two reviewers independently extracted program data on context, implementation strategies, and implementation outcomes following a program theory. A thematic analysis identified 37 implementation strategies across six "building blocks of implementation": program emergence, intersectoriality, intervention characteristics, workforce, training, and monitoring systems. Implementation pathways across building blocks are highly influenced by contextual factors, such as infrastructure, social norms, and the target population's demand and interest, which may shape different implementation outcomes. Six 'building blocks' shaping implementation pathways of CCD and RU in LMICs were identified. The careful consideration of context and use of intentional evidence-based planning can enable the successful implementation of ECD nurturing care interventions. We recommend the use of the ECD Implementation Checklist for Enabling Program Scale Up to guide decision-making regarding context and implementation strategies to support implementation outcomes and subsequent ECD program success.

Multigenerational coresidence and parental time in developmental childcare in China

Multigenerational coresidence and parental time in developmental childcare in China

‘Undoing gender’ or selection effects?: fathers’ uptake of leave and involvement in housework and childcare in South Korea

ABSTRACT A number of studies have documented a positive (causal) relationship between fathers’ uptake of parental leave and a more equitable division of unpaid labour in Western contexts, primarily where men contribute to a fair share of unpaid work and fathers’ uptake of leave is common. South Korea offers an apt and contrasting setting to explore this relationship, with its highly gendered division of unpaid labour and low use of fathers’ leave, despite recent increases. This study finds that fathers who have taken (long) leave contribute more to housework as well as both developmental and routine childcare than fathers with neither leave plan nor experience. For housework and developmental childcare, this difference is mostly explained by already involved fathers self-selecting into leave. For routine childcare, there is limited evidence to suggest that very long leave of one year or longer could potentially make fathers more involved. In short, the gender equalising impact of fathers’ uptake of parental leave in Korea appears to be restricted mainly to long leave and routine childcare, if there exists any significant effect at all. Overall, this paper suggests that the gender equalising effect of fathers’ leave may vary depending on the stage of the gender revolution.

Mapping the neural mechanisms of creativity by convergent and divergent thinking in school-aged children: A functional near-infrared spectroscopy study

Creativity is essential to children's learning, career development and well-being. Divergent and convergent thinking are the central components of creativity, which is a compound high-order cognitive ability. However, most existing behavioral and neuroimaging studies have only tested the characteristics of a single component of creativity. The neurological mechanism of creativity from the construct of divergent and convergent thinking needs to be explored by a more comprehensive approach.In this functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) study, we investigated neural activity in 69 school-aged children while they worked on creative tasks involving divergent and convergent thinking. Their divergent and convergent thinking abilities were evaluated using the Alternate Uses Task (AUT) and Remote Association Task (RAT), respectively.When working with a divergent thinking task, we found that neural activation was higher in the middle frontal gyrus (MFG) than when working with a convergent thinking task. In addition, a significant positive correlation was found between HbO activation in the MFG and performance on the divergent thinking task, while a significant positive correlation was found between HbO activation in the inferior parietal lobule (IPL) and performance on the convergent thinking task.These results suggest different neural mechanisms of the two main components of creativity. Divergent thinking may be modulated more by top-down executive control networks during the idea generation stage. In contrast, convergent thinking may be modulated more by integrating semantic information into coherent representations during the idea selection stage. Our study contributes toward the theoretical integration of the complex structure of creativity. We also provide neural evidence showing that divergent and convergent thinking may be modulated by idea generation and the selection process of creative thinking.

The Efficacy of "Care for Child Development" Intervention on the Improvement of the Development Skills of Orphanage Children.

Development refers to the progressive enhancement of skills and functional capacity, i.e., qualitative changes in the child's functions. The process of development begins before birth and continues throughout life. The present study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the "Care for Child Development (CCD)" program on 4-42 months children's developmental skills in orphanages. In this study, two orphanages in the capitals of East and West Azerbaijan provinces were selected using the convenience sampling technique, and thirty children were included. Then, they were randomly divided into two intervention and control groups (each group, N=15). Next, after obtaining consent from the head of the orphanages, a group of volunteers from the healthcare center performed the CCD program, considering children's chronological ages (4 to 42 months), for three sessions a week, with each session lasting two hours and it lasted for three months. At the end of the intervention process, the Bayley Scale of Infant and Toddler Development 3rd version (BSID-III) and the Ages and Stages Questionnaire-II (ASQ) were completed for the two intervention and control groups to compare them in the cognitive, motor, communication, and personal-social domains. Comparing the two control and intervention groups using the T-test (difference in mean) indicates that except for the domain of cognitive skills (Bayley: P-value = 0.176), there was statistically a significant difference between the two groups in communication (ASQ: P-value = 0.001; Bayley: P-value = 0.003), motor (ASQ: P-value = 0.000; Bayley: P-value = 0.009), and personal-social (ASQ: P-value <0.000) skills. In the present study, it was concluded that it is required to apply interventions, including standard ones such as the CCD program in environments like orphanages, to enhance the developmental skills of those children living in them.

Their stories: Children, exemplary models and career narratives

Background: Despite the consensus on the significance of early career development, we still know little about the best-or-evidence-based practices for this demographic. Searching the keywords career development and marginalised populations and/or communities within the PychINFO, we found that 11% of articles were related to children, while only 1% of them were related to marginalised children. This indicates a strong need for scholarly attention on children of colour and their career development.Objective: This manuscript outlines the construction of a curriculum developed to be used by counsellors in facilitating the career development of children, particularly those from minoritised communities. We hope that the curriculum will contribute to the scholarly discussion on best practices for career intervention in childhood.Methods: Rooted in the narrative, social construction perspectives, the curriculum was prepared by assembling career and life narratives of culturally diverse exemplary models. These narratives of persistence provided children with various strategies exemplary models implemented to overcome barriers that challenged their sense of agency. Collaborating school counselling staff used three stories within the curriculum with the hope of increasing children’s sense of agency and adaptability. Students were third graders from a high-need elementary school. About one-fourth of the student body represented diverse cultural backgrounds, including Indigenous, Latino/a and black communities.Results: Initial feedback from the counselling staff indicated that the curriculum lessons were well-received by the children. They were able to engage in age-appropriate narrative analysis via questions asked by the counselling staff.Conclusion: Although the effectiveness of the curriculum is yet to be determined, the curriculum shows promise for assisting children in increasing their own sense of agency and in crafting their own career narratives.Contribution: This manuscript provides a unique and promising approach to facilitating the early career development of children.

Effect of parenting intervention through “Care for Child Development Guideline” on early child development and behaviors: a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundSeveral studies showed that parenting intervention programs play a core component in early child development. Considering the limited healthcare resources in developing countries, group-session intervention based on care for child development (CCD) guideline might be cost-effective.MethodsThis randomized controlled trial was conducted at an outpatient public Pediatrics clinic in Isfahan, Iran. We included 210 pregnant women aged 18–45 years in their third trimester and followed their children for 18 months. The intervention group underwent 5 educational group sessions, each lasting for almost 45 minutes. The main outcomes were the children’s development and socio-emotional behavior problems based on Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-III (BSID-III) at 12 months and the Children Behavior Checklist (CBCL) at 18 months.ResultsOverall, data of 181 children were included in the current study, including 80 in the intervention group and 101 controls. The adjusted median/mean differences between intervention and control groups using median/linear regression were not significant for all BSID-III domains except for median differences for cognitive score based on BSID-III (β (SE): − 4.98(2.31), p:0.032) and mean differences for anxiety/depression score based on CBCL (β (SE): − 2.54(1.27), p:0.046).ConclusionIn this study, parenting interventions through CCD group sessions were significantly effective on just one subscale of children’s socio-emotional behavior domains based on CBCL and one domain of children’s development based on BSID-III. There might be a ceiling or floor effects for the BSID-III and CBCL assessment, respectively, leaving little room for improvement as almost all children have achieved their full developmental potential in our study.Trial registrationIRCT20190128042533N2, Date of registration: 16/01/2020, www.irct.ir

Challenges for parents of color in children's STEM career aspiration

A wide range of resources have been utilized to promote interest and motivation of students of color in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) professions. Parents have a critical role in supporting their children's career interest and development; however, little literature exists on the unique experiences and challenges faced by parents of color who are involved in their children's career exploration in STEM professions. This phenomenological qualitative study examined the experiences of parents of color regarding their (a) knowledge and beliefs about STEM professions, (b) unique challenges in supporting their children's STEM career interest, and (c) experiences with school counselors in promoting their children's STEM career trajectory. Five resulting themes are discussed, and implications are provided for school counselors.

An Analysis of Behaviour Change Techniques used in the Care for Child Development Parenting Program

Care for Child Development (CCD) is one of several parenting programs implemented in low- and middle-income countries to improve child cognitive development outcomes by increasing responsive stimulation practices in caregivers of young children. Broadly, these programs have been demonstrated to be effective. However, there is markedly little high-quality evidence for the effectiveness of CCD. Despite this, CCD is promoted by UNICEF and the World Health Organisation as an evidence-based program and is implemented in many countries. We conducted a scoping review, including grey literature and a systematic search of published literature, to obtain an overview of the available evidence. We also performed an analysis of two quantitative outcomes, child cognitive development and caregiver behaviour, to investigate their correlation with behaviour change techniques used in CCD program implementation. We found no significant correlation between any behaviour change techniques and child cognitive development outcomes. There was a significant correlation between the techniques of performance and social support, as well as the total number of techniques used, and caregiver behaviour outcomes. This analysis was limited by the quality of reported data available about the program; of 27 total identified papers, only 14 reported quantitative data regarding either child cognitive development or caregiver behaviour change. Inconsistent reporting of this data required us to use a rating system to perform our analysis; we consequently lost specificity. Even those papers that did report quantitative data were subject to methodological flaws; the measures and study designs used did not always inspire confidence in their results. We concluded that CCD is not one single, well-defined program, and that there is an important distinction to be made between CCD-based and CCD-informed programs. The generic Care for Child Development Package (2012) is a framework that contains too many gaps to be easily adaptable. Not enough high-quality studies of this program are available to draw concrete conclusions concerning its effectiveness, in whole or in part.

Comparing the Effectiveness of Career Adaptability Education to Preschool Students and Attachment-based Counseling to Their Parents on Children’s Career Development

Aim: The current study aimed to compare attachment-based counseling to mothers and the impact of career adaptability education to preschool children on children's career development in city of Isfahan. Methods: The statistical population included all of the preschool children aged 5 to 7 and parents of 5 to 7-year-old preschool children in city of Isfahan. Thirty preschool children, aged 5 to 7, were selected voluntarily and randomly divided into two experiment and control groups (10 children in each group). The parent group received the attachment-based counseling, the children group received the career adaptability education, both in 8 sessions. The control group did not receive any education. Data. were collected with preschool students' career development questionnaire, and were analyzed using SPSS-18 and analysis of covariance. Findings: The results suggest that two methods had a considerable effect on time perspective (P&lt;0/05, F=7/35), internal curiosity (P&lt;0/05, F=3/91), information (P&lt;0.05, F=6/06), and external curiosity (P&lt;0/001, F=10/41), and there was no significant differences between the effectiveness of the two methods (P&lt;0/05). Conclusion: Career education and counseling to preschool children and parents impacted the children's career development.

Career-related learning in primary schools: a city collaborative approach in England

ABSTRACT A consistent criticism from the emergent literature on children's career development has been that career-related learning in primary schools has received limited attention. A particular gap in the literature is the application of careers theory applied to pedagogy and employer engagement within primary schools. This article examines an innovative collaborative approach based on research undertaken in seven of the most deprived Wards in Derby city, England and further extended to include 32 primary schools. The mixed-methods study provides insight to children's hopes and aspirations, teacher feedback and the role of business volunteers. Strengths, limitations and future directions of the approach are discussed.

Effectiveness of Care for Child Development Program on the Sensitivity and Responsiveness Skills of Mothers.

ObjectivesThe present study was done to analyze the impact of the "care for child development" program on the sensitivity and responsiveness skills among mothers of children at risk of developmental delay.Materials & Methods This study was a quasi-experimental research with a pretest-posttest design and experimental and control groups. The statistical population included all mothers with children at risk of developmental delay in Tabriz. Fifty mothers were selected through purposive sampling. Then, they were divided into two groups of 25 cases (one experimental group and one control group) using simple random sampling. The experimental group received training about the “care for child development“ program, while the control group received no training. The Social-Emotional Assessment/Evaluation Measure Family Profile (SEAM TM family profile) and Maternal Caregiving Quality Scale were the research measurement tools. The obtained data were evaluated by analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and independent t-test using SPSS software version 20.Results There was a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in maternal caregiving quality and responsiveness, provision of appropriate activities, predictable programs, and provision of play environment and safe home (P <0.05).Conclusion: The results showed that the care for child development program has positive effects on sensitivity and responsiveness skills of mothers of children at risk of developmental delays and can be considered and applied as a practical plan in national health policies.

Parental Practices in the Career Development of Children with Mild Intellectual Disabilities. A Case of Three Selected Skills Training Centres in Zambia

Parental Practices in the Career Development of Children with Mild Intellectual Disabilities. A Case of Three Selected Skills Training Centres in Zambia

The relationships for promoting children's career development in the peripheral region

The relationships for promoting children's career development in the peripheral region