Early Care And Education Settings Research Articles

Predicting adolescent and young adult outcomes from emotional support and cognitive stimulation offered by preschool-age home and early care and education settings.

Children's early environmental experiences are often considered highly influential for later life development. Yet, environmental contexts, such as the home and early care and education (ECE) setting, and multiple aspects of each setting, are not typically examined concurrently. In this study, we examined associations between cognitive stimulation and emotional support in the home and ECE setting during the preschool years (36-54 months) with adolescent (age 15; n = 708; 52% female) and adult (age 26; n = 584; 54% female) outcomes using data from the Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development, a study conducted at 10 sites across the United States. Cognitive stimulation in the home was significantly related to increased academic achievement at age 15 and educational attainment at age 26. Home emotional support was related to decreased behavior problems and increased social skills at age 15. No significant associations were found between either emotional support or cognitive stimulation in ECE and children's later development. These findings provide further support that the child's home environment during early childhood plays a substantial role in development. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Children's Dietary Intake by Early Care and Education Setting in the US Affiliated Pacific

ObjectiveExamine differences in dietary intake of children aged 2–5 years in early care and education (ECE) setting in the US Affiliated Pacific (USAP). DesignSecondary analysis of cross-sectional data collected by the Children's Healthy Living program. ParticipantsChildren (n = 1,423) with complete dietary records and information on the ECE setting. Main Outcome MeasuresDietary intake by ECE setting; Head Start (HS), other ECE (OE), and no ECE. AnalysisComparison of mean dietary intake across ECE settings and multivariate logistic regression to evaluate ECE setting and likelihood for meeting dietary reference intake (DRI). ResultsChildren in HS and OE settings had a significantly higher intake of several food groups and nutrients, compared with no ECE; vegetables (0.4 cup-equivalents per thousand kcals [CETK] vs 0.3 CETK; P < 0.001), fruits (0.8 CETK vs 0.6 CETK; P = 0.001), milk (0.9 CETK for HS and 1.0 CETK for OE vs 0.8 CETK; P < 0.001). Sixty-five percent of the HS group met DRI and had greater odds of meeting calcium DRI (odds ratio, 1.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.2–2.7) compared with other groups. The OE group had the lowest proportion of children meeting recommended intakes for 19 out of 25 nutrients. Conclusions and ImplicationsMean intakes of foods and nutrients for children across the USAP meet some, but not all, recommendations and intakes vary across children attending various ECE setting types. Additional research on the clinical importance of these differences and the impact of the complex food systems in the USAP may identify systematic strategies for improving diet among children.

Early care and education.

This chapter briefly reviews the history of early care and education (ECE) in the United States, the ECE conceptual frameworks, how ECE is organized, who uses ECE, and associations between ECE experiences and child outcomes. Nonparent care is now experienced by most children in the United States, with home-based care most common for infants and toddlers and center-based care for preschoolers. ECE settings that involve frequent and responsive teacher-child interactions and access to age-appropriate activities appear to promote children's cognitive and social development, although those associations tend to be quite modest. Publicly funded programs like Head Start and pre-kindergarten programs tend to serve children from low-income families, and are successful in promoting school readiness skills, especially early academic skills. However, the impacts of today's programs largely disappear in the first years of elementary school, and even flipped from being positive to negative in the methodologically most rigorous studies. Explanations for this fadeout are explored.

Changes in Early Care and Education Settings Amid COVID-19: Voices of Parents

ABSTRACT Research Findings: The purpose of this qualitative study is to understand parents’ perceptions of changes in early care and education (ECE) in the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea. Thirty-three parents of young children who attend three different types of ECE programs (i.e. kindergartens, childcare centers, and non-accredited programs) participated in a 30-minute semi-structured interview. Through an applied thematic analysis, three major themes were generated: Structural Changes in ECE Settings, Support from ECE Programs and Teachers, and Changes in Parents’ Perceptions of ECE. Parents reported that they wanted their voices to be heard going through the changes in ECE settings. Some parents expressed concerns about the changes and were not satisfied with support provided by ECE programs. However, when ECE programs maintained regular communications, parents felt grateful, and parent-program relationships remained uninterrupted. Practice or Policy: The findings highlight the importance of recognizing parents as a meaningful part of the ECE community, understanding and addressing parents’ perceptions, and engaging parents in the frequent and open communication. Understanding parents’ perspectives can potentially improve the quality of ECE programs and promote high-quality parent-program relationships. Continuous efforts are needed to further explore parents’ perceptions in ECE research and practice.

Early Childhood Teachers' Work Environment, Perceived Personal Stress, and Professional Commitment in South Korea.

Teachers' professional commitment is essential for providing high-quality early care and education (ECE) to young children. Previous studies suggest that teachers' perceptions of low levels of personal stress and a satisfactory work environment are both likely to be associated with their greater commitment to work. The current study examined the incremental validity of work environment as a predictor of professional commitment beyond personal stress perceived by ECE teachers in South Korea. Specifically, we hypothesized that teachers' satisfactory work environment would predict a significant amount of variance in professional commitment beyond personal stress. Survey data were collected from 322 ECE teachers in center-based programs in Korea. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to examine the factor structure of the professional commitment latent variable. Hierarchical regression models were tested in structural equation modeling with the professional commitment latent variable. CFA for professional commitment demonstrated that a one-factor model was the best solution. The final model explained 40% of the variance in professional commitment (RMSEA = .067; CFI = .906). Findings indicated the incremental validity of work environment in predicting professional commitment beyond personal stress. The current findings emphasize the importance of teachers' experiences around having a satisfactory work environment and personal stress, either job-related or not, to retain teachers in ECE settings long-term. Program and policy level support to promote teachers' well-being in their personal lives as well as professional lives may be critical to improve teachers' professional commitment.

Managing Disruptions in Early Care & Education: Lessons from COVID-19.

Families face challenging decisions about early care and education (ECE) for their children. Decisions about what is best for each child and family are constrained by family and contextual factors and are prone to disruptions. This study provides a descriptive look at patterns of ECE settings children were in the year prior to kindergarten, beginning in Fall 2019 through Spring 2021, a period during which most ECE arrangements were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and into the 2020-2021 kindergarten year. Analyses of survey (N = 121) and interview (n = 25) data from families whose children entered kindergarten in Fall 2020 revealed multiple and cascading disruptions during this time. Disruptions were nearly universal, and families made continual accommodations as they juggled employment needs and children's ECE needs. Findings from this study have implications for how actual and anticipated disruptions may have a greater influence on families' child care decision-making into the future.

Outcomes From Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Recognition Programs in Early Child Care and Education: A Scoping Review.

Recognition programs are designed to incentivize early care and education (ECE) settings to implement childhood obesity prevention standards, yet little is known regarding their efficacy. This scoping review details characteristics, methodologies, and criteria used to evaluate recognition programs, identifies gaps in evaluation, and synthesizes existing evidence. A public health librarian created the search strategies for six databases: Ovid MEDLINE, AGRICOLA, CAB Abstracts, PAIS Index, ERIC, and Scopus. Inclusion criteria include recognition program, ECE setting, nutrition or physical activity, and qualitative or quantitative outcomes. Exclusion criteria include programming without recognition component, no ECE setting, no nutrition or physical activity outcome, case studies, or not written in English. Three researchers independently extracted and complied data into an Excel spreadsheet. Tables were created describing location, recognition program criteria, award incentive, study design, study sample, risk of bias, and outcomes (e.g., menu nutrition) evaluated in each study. Three unique recognition programs (described in 7 studies) provided technical assistance, incentives, and training. While outcome measures and study designs varied across programs, it is clear that recognition programs are well accepted and feasible, and one study demonstrated beneficial weight outcomes. Although additional evaluation is needed, recognition programs may be a promising strategy to improve obesity prevention practices in ECE.

Early care and education settings as contexts for socialization: New directions for quality assessment

AbstractIn this article, we aim to chart a path for a new generation of early care and education (ECE) quality assessments that accurately and equitably capture key inputs to the social–emotional well‐being of the diverse population of young children in ECE classrooms in the United States. We zero in on four promising, socially supportive features of center‐based ECE settings that are actionable for research, policy, and practice: teachers' classroom behavior‐management strategies, their scaffolding of peer interactions, aspects of their own well‐being that shape their capacities to support children's social–emotional development, and indicators of bias‐free and culturally responsive ECE environments.

Do child care characteristics during toddlerhood explain income-based gaps in reading and math skills at preschool?

Children’s early care and education (ECE) experiences have been found to explain developmental differences in school readiness between children in low- versus high-income households. However, the majority of this research has focused on preschool and center-based ECE. We have less knowledge about the specific characteristics of ECE across setting types prior to preschool that contribute to later income-based gaps in children’s cognitive skills. This study examined children’s ECE characteristics in formal and informal settings during toddlerhood (age 2) as mediators of the association between family income and children’s reading and math skills at preschool (age 4). Findings from a nationally representative sample of children who attended ECE at age 2 (N = 4,500) revealed that, among 8 characteristics of children’s ECE experiences at age 2, only one characteristic, caregivers’ report of daily reading, was a significant predictor of children’s later reading and math skills. Caregivers reporting that they read to the child daily was predictive of higher reading (0.16 SD) and math (0.12 SD) skills at age 4. Children’s ECE experiences, driven by daily reading at age 2, accounted for 7% of the gap in reading skills between children from low- and high-income families at age 4. Findings from this study highlight income-based disparities in daily reading across ECE settings among toddlers, and suggest ECE caregiver daily reading as one potentially policy-malleable mechanism in reducing income-based achievement gaps.

Hungry is not safe: A mixed methods study to explore food insecurity in early care and education

The early care and education (ECE) environment has the potential to affect both children and their families. Food insecurity in ECE and its management may be an important influence. Objectives of this mixed methods study were to (1) elicit prominent themes relating to teacher experiences with food insecurity (in the classroom) through qualitative interviews; (2) translate interview themes into survey items and analyze survey data to explore generalizability of the qualitative findings; and (3) provide preliminary data on properties of a new tool to study the influence of food insecurity in the ECE setting. An exploratory sequential mixed methods design (QUAL → quant) was used. Twenty-eight interviews about teacher experiences with food insecurity were followed by 781 surveys to assess generalizability of interview findings. Qualitative themes highlighted that ECE teachers are concerned about children's food insecurity in their classroom; ECE teachers have developed their own set of strategies to manage their concern; and teachers often struggle with what to do. Quantitative results demonstrated many teachers had the same concerns and used the strategies described in the interviews. Further, in exploratory analyses, ECE teachers with Food Insecurity scored significantly higher on all scales (e.g., Food Insecurity Concerns, Struggle with Addressing Food Security) in both adjusted and unadjusted analyses. ECE teachers with Food Acquisition Stress had higher scores on Strategies to Address Food Insecurity with Families in adjusted analyses.

Start Strong: A Culinary Nutrition Education Training for Family Child Care Providers

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention developed the Spectrum of Opportunities Framework to help communities target obesity prevention in early care and education (ECE) settings.1 Professional development is one of the opportunities identified in the framework. Training family child care providers (providers) on how to prepare healthy foods for children in their care is 1 way to improve the food environment in child care settings. University of Minnesota Extension (Extension) recognized the majority of culinary nutrition education training and curricula for ECE settings were designed for child care centers.

P56 Home Food Access and Children's Heart Healthy Dietary Intake at Home and Child Care

<h3>Background</h3> One-fifth of children and adolescents have an abnormal serum cholesterol measure. Diets higher in plant-based foods and lower in sodium, sugar, cholesterol, and saturated fat reduce cardiovascular disease risk. <h3>Objective</h3> The purpose of this study is to determine if greater home access to fruits, vegetables, and snacks is associated with cardiac dietary heath at home and Early Care and Education (ECE) centers in preschool-age children and also to determine if there is a difference in children's cardiac dietary health between home and ECE. <h3>Study Design, Settings, Participants</h3> This cross-sectional study involved children (3-5 years old, n=88) and their primary caregivers from 15 licensed ECEs across Oklahoma. Parents reported home food access using the Healthy Home Survey and child's home dinner intake using the 3-Dinner Dietary Recall. Child ECE lunch consumption was recorded using the Dietary Observation for Child Care. The cardiac dietary score was composed of 6 variables, each with a single point to be summed: consumption of fish, fruits, vegetables, fiber, and limited sodium and sugary drinks. <h3>Measurable Outcome/Analysis</h3> Outcome variables were analyzed by using means, standard deviations, median, and frequencies. Adjusted linear regression analyses examined the relationship between home food access and cardiac dietary scores at home and ECE. <h3>Results</h3> At home, total fruit and vegetable (16.2 ± 6.3) outnumbered snacks (5.5 ± 3.0) with mean ratio of total home fruits and vegetables to snacks at 3.8 ± 2.7. There was no difference in cardiac dietary score between ECE (1.50 ± 0.8) and home (1.27 ± 0.9, <i>P</i> = 0.0851). Children within both environments did not meet intake recommendations for most variables (vegetables [18.2-23.9%], fruit [5.7-10.2%], fish [4.5-10.2%], fiber [1.1%], sodium [21.6-38.6%]). There was no relationship between home food access variables and cardiac dietary scores at home or ECE. <h3>Conclusion</h3> The cardiac dietary health of children at home and ECE does not meet recommendations. Interventions might consider the ECE setting to promote healthy eating among children and educate families on healthy eating at home.

From early care and education to adult problem behaviors: A prevention pathway through after-school organized activities.

Motivated by Edward Zigler's proposition that programs serving children (birth through 12 years) can have long-term effects on well-being and development, we used data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (N = 1,258) to test two pathways by which early care and education (ECE) are linked to after-school organized activities in middle childhood and to problem behaviors in late adolescence and adulthood. In support of an activities pathway, we found children with more ECE hours and more epochs in center-based ECE settings from 1 to 54 months had more epochs in after-school organized activities from kindergarten to 5th grade, which then predicted less impulsivity and less police contact at age 26. In support of a child pathway, we found that more ECE hours and more epochs in center-based ECE settings were linked to externalizing problems in early childhood, which then predicted higher problem behaviors in middle childhood, late adolescence, and adulthood. Together, these pathways underscored the potential of direct and indirect links of ECE and after-school organized activities in relation to later development.

P116 Serving Their Needs: Nutrition Policy Implementation in the Early Care and Education Setting

Background Childhood obesity is a growing problem in the United States and results in increased risk for chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension. Thirteen percent of youth in Georgia are obese. Identifying strategies to assist children in establishing healthy habits is essential to reduce the risk of childhood obesity. The Early Care and Education (ECE) setting is ideal for the implementation of obesity prevention practices. However, there are barriers present for implementing nutrition policies in this setting. Objective The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the implementation of food and beverage best practices in the ECE setting and highlight barriers and facilitators to adopting these policies. Study Design, Setting, Participants The study sample included ECE teachers in Georgia serving children ages 0-5. A randomized, stratified sample of facilities was selected. Researchers conducted 24 interviews and 6 focus groups with ECE program directors and teachers in 6 regions in Georgia. A trained qualitative researcher facilitated focus groups and interviews. Measurable Outcome/Analysis Data were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Qualitative data analysis software, NVivo 10, was used to code data and identify emergent themes. Results Several key themes related to barriers against food and beverage policy implementation emerged, including the need for enhanced parent communication, resources to limit juice consumption, and support to decrease food costs. Facilitators of nutrition policy implementation included ease of access to water, children's preferences for fruits and vegetables, and availability of existing nutrition resources. Findings will inform the development of resources to support nutrition policy implementation as well as policy training for ECE teachers in Georgia. Conclusions Study findings may provide insight about how to improve current resources and develop new strategies to promote adoption and implementation of nutrition policies in the ECE setting. Funding Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The Effects of Early Care and Education Settings on the Kindergarten Outcomes of Doubly Vulnerable Children

Program administrators and policy makers have placed a priority on expanding access to inclusive, center-based early care and education (ECE) for low-income children with special needs, a “doubly vulnerable” population characterized by academic and social-emotional achievement gaps at kindergarten entry. Yet, no research has documented the effects of center-based settings on doubly vulnerable children’s early development, either relative to other ECE settings (e.g., home-based care) or relative to each other (e.g., Head Start, public preK). The current study utilizes national data and estimates difference-in-differences models to assess the effects of these ECE setting comparisons on changes in doubly vulnerable children’s academic and social-emotional outcomes evident at kindergarten entry. Results suggest that center-based ECE is more beneficial than parental care for language and literacy, and more beneficial than home-based care for prosocial behaviors. There were few differences among center-based ECE types: At trend level, Head Start was linked with better approaches to learning and prosocial skills relative to public preK.

Determining eLearning Preferences to Inform Beverage Policy Training for Early Care and Education Teachers

ObjectiveTo determine the eLearning preferences of early care and education (ECE) teachers for an effective beverage policy training. MethodsMixed methods study conducted with ECE directors and teachers in 6 regions throughout Georgia. Researchers used an eLearning survey (n = 646) along with focus groups (n = 6) and interviews (n = 24) to determine eLearning preferences and preferred eLearning format. Descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis were used for data analysis. ResultsMost ECE teachers in Georgia (85%) have never had a beverage policy training. Participants (48%) reported they would definitely use the Internet for training. Qualitative analysis revealed key themes; training should be engaging, concise, hold the trainees accountable, and be interactive. Interactive video is the preferred eLearning format. Conclusions and ImplicationsInterventions that promote national beverage recommended in the ECE setting are critically needed. Study findings may inform other states about the feasibility of using eLearning to provide beverage policy training for ECE providers in other states.

Serving Their Needs: A Qualitative Examination of Nutrition Policy Implementation in the Early Care and Education Setting

Background: Childhood obesity is a growing problem in the United States and results in increased risk for chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension. Thirteen percent of youth in Georgia are obese. Identifying strategies to assist children in establishing healthy habits is essential to reduce the risk of childhood obesity. The Early Care and Education (ECE) setting is ideal for the implementation of obesity prevention practices. However, there are barriers present for implementing nutrition policies in this setting. This report explores the implementation of food and beverage best practices in the ECE setting and highlights barriers to and facilitators for adopting these policies.

The when and what of measuring ECE quality: Analysis of variation in the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) across the ECE day

Observational assessment has become an integral component of the quality improvement agenda in Early Care and Education (ECE) and has been significant in directing attention to quality of interactions within the ECE setting. Understanding the functioning of observational assessment is increasingly important as the stakes are high. Assessment outcomes influence programme funding. Assessment criteria direct educators to preference particular types of experiences for children, grounded in the assumptions that these criteria are those that best predict children's’ school readiness, ongoing achievements and wellbeing. We examine two contextual factors that might affect assessment functioning: (1) When – the timing of assessment in the ECE day and (2) What – the content and format of the activities observed. We provide the example of the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS), analysing 11,341 observations cycles undertaken in a representative sample of 2306 Australian pre-K (age 3–4 years) through Year 2 (age 7–8 years) classrooms. Our data show a generalised decline in instructional, organisational and emotional support across the ECE day (8am to 4pm) with recovery in emotional support at the end of the day. Within-classroom analyses demonstrate that whole group and small group formats and science, math, and social science content inflate, while meal times, physical activity, and transitions constrain CLASS scores. Separate analyses for pre-K classrooms showed similar patterns. We discuss the findings in terms of the purpose of assessment and suggest that particular times and events in the ECE day might serve as barometers of quality.

Contributions of Early Care and Education Programs to Diet Quality in Children Aged 3 to 4 Years in Central North Carolina

BackgroundParents and early care and education (ECE) are the key influencers of young children’s diets, but there is limited information about how each contribute to children’s overall diet quality. ObjectiveThis study aimed to determine what proportion of children’s dietary intake occurs within the ECE setting and whether diet quality is higher at ECE centers and, consequently, on weekdays than weekends. DesignThis cross-sectional analysis of a larger cluster randomized controlled trial used multiple 24-hour dietary intakes measured through a combination of the Dietary Observation in Child Care protocol and parent-reported food diaries. Participants/settingParticipants (N=840) included children aged 3 to 4 years enrolled in ECE centers in central North Carolina for whom 24-hour dietary intake was captured via observation of meals and snacks consumed at ECE and parent-report of all remaining meals and snacks. Data were collected from 2015 to 2016. Main outcome measuresDiet quality at ECE and elsewhere was evaluated using the Healthy Eating Index 2015. Statistical analyses performedMixed-effects models were used to determine differences in mean Healthy Eating Index 2015 component and total scores. Models were adjusted for children’s age and sex and accounted for clustering within ECE centers and families. ResultsChildren consumed approximately 40% of daily energy, nutrients, and food groups at ECE centers. The mean total Healthy Eating Index 2015 score was higher for foods and beverages consumed at ECE centers (58.3±0.6) than elsewhere (52.5±0.6) (P<0.0001). The mean total Healthy Eating Index 2015 score was also higher on weekdays (58.5±0.5) than on weekends (51.3±0.5) (P<0.0001). ConclusionsChildren consume a majority of dietary intake away from ECE centers. Overall, diet quality is low, but the quality of foods consumed by children at ECE centers is higher than that consumed elsewhere. ECE centers remain an important source of nutrition and further investigation is warranted to identify ways to support both ECE centers and families to provide healthier eating environments.

Effectiveness in adapting the implementation of the Early Care and Education Learning Collaboratives Project (ECELC) using real-world conditions.

The National Early Care and Education Learning Collaboratives Project (ECELC) was a multistate intervention that was highly effective in implementing best practices for healthy eating physical activity (HEPA) in early care and education (ECE) programs across the USA. The ECELC included didactic in-person learning sessions, technical assistance, and self-assessment-guided action planning. This study aimed to describe the effectiveness of adaptions to the self-assessments, learning sessions, and overall support, and also aimed to compare the effectiveness of each to the Original ECELC Model, when applicable. This study utilized a pre-poststudy design using data collected via the Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC) instrument for ECE programs that adapted the Original ECELC Model. Adaptations to the Original ECELC Model were found to promote best practices and policies with regard to Breastfeeding & Infant Feeding, Child Nutrition, Infant & Child Physical Activity, Outdoor Play & Learning, and/or Screen Time as demonstrated by the NAP SACC (p < .05), with some exceptions of nonstatistically significant increases. Improvements were found to be statistically similar to improvements made among participants of the Original ECELC Model. Partner-driven, scalable, and customizable policy- and practice-based interventions to promote HEPA among children in ECE settings may serve as a key strategy to work toward reducing risk for childhood obesity.