Early Childhood Care Settings Research Articles

Home Musical Activities Boost Premature Infants’ Language Development

Home Musical Activities Boost Premature Infants’ Language Development

Social and Emotional Functions of Institutional Touch in the Relational Care of Young Children

ABSTRACTThis study reports results concerning close embodied practices, involving touch, in early childhood care settings in Sweden during the COVID‐19 pandemic. The data—video recordings of everyday practices in contexts of childcare—were collected during various phases of the pandemic. The study demonstrates a broad range of uses of touch, by adults and children themselves in various age groups and for various social purposes. Touch as embodied intimacy was initiated by educators, and by children, both within their peer group and towards educators. Touch served the purposes of embodied intimacy, emotion regulation, social affiliation, social control, instructions and play. We highlight the detailed ways in which practitioners' actions sustain children's bodily integrity and provide them with embodied agency, participation and learning. Professional touch practices with young children are discussed in the context of ‘no‐touch’ views in social work and care work with children. It is suggested that insights into the social and emotional uses of institutional touch can inform social work practice, especially child and family social work, and residential care.

Interaction quality in German early childcare settings: investigating the domains of CLASS Toddler and the associations with structural characteristics

ABSTRACT The present study examines the quality and domains of teacher-toddler interactions and associations with structural characteristics using data from 95 German early childcare settings. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis supported a two-factor structure of interaction quality assessed by the CLASS Toddler: emotional and behavioural support (EBS) and engaged support for learning (ESL). The EBS domain showed higher quality ratings (M = 5.33, SD = .59) than the ESL domain (M = 3.23, SD = .70). Structural equation modelling was applied to estimate associations between those domains and structural characteristics within classrooms. Structural characteristics predicting interaction quality were teachers' age (for EBS), teachers' education (for ESL) and children's age composition in the classroom (for EBS and ESL). Overall, the two-factor structure of CLASS Toddler could be replicated. For high-quality interactions, teacher and classroom characteristics are crucial but need to be carefully distinguished. Beyond their limitations, these findings have implications that are discussed.

Assessing Global and Math-Specific Teacher-Child Interaction Quality in Early Childcare Settings: A Systematic Literature Review of Instruments Used in Research

ABSTRACTStudies show that processes like teacher–child interactions are a key dimension of childcare quality and that global and domain-specific interactions seem to have different effects on child development. A variety of instruments have been used to assess quality in the field of early childhood research. The aim of this study was to identify and discuss instruments that assess global and/or math-specific interaction quality in childcare settings (birth to school-entry). In the systematic literature review, we found 4211 publications using instruments that assess global and/or math-specific interaction quality, of which 148 remained after a screening of titles, abstracts, and full-texts. In all, 55 instruments assessing interaction quality were identified and analyzed regarding their (sub)scales, items, method, procedure, children’s age, reliability, and validity. We identified more instruments measuring global aspects of teacher–child interactions than measuring math-specific aspects. In general, some instruments might be over- or underrepresented, due to linguistic and publication bias.

Perceived factors that influence adoption, implementation and sustainability of an evidence-based intervention promoting healthful eating and physical activity in childcare centers in an urban area in the United States serving children from low-income, racially/ethnically diverse families.

Early childcare centers offer optimal settings to provide healthy built environments where preschool age children spend a majority of their week. Many evidence-based interventions (EBIs) promoting healthful eating and physical activity for early childcare settings exist, but there is a limited understanding of how best to support adoption, implementation and sustainability in community settings. This study examined how early childcare teachers and administrators from Chicago-area childcare centers serving children from low-income, racially/ethnically diverse communities viewed an EBI called Hip to Health (H3), and the factors they perceived as relevant for EBI adoption, implementation, and sustainability. A multiple methods study including key informant interviews and a brief survey was conducted. Key informant interviews with teachers and administrators from childcare centers located in Chicago, IL were completed between December 2020 and May 2021. An interview guide and coding guide based on the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) was developed. Interview transcripts were team coded in MAXQDA Qualitative Data Analysis software. Thematic analysis was used to identify findings specific to adoption, implementation, and sustainability. Participants were also asked to respond to survey measures about the acceptability, feasibility, and appropriateness of H3. Overall, teachers (n = 20) and administrators (n = 16) agreed that H3 was acceptable, appropriate, and feasible. Low start-up costs, ease-of-use, adaptability, trialability, compatibility, and leadership engagement were important to EBI adoption. Timely and flexible training was critical to implementation. Participants noted sustainability was tied to low ongoing costs, access to ongoing support, and positive observable benefits for children and positive feedback from parents. These findings suggest that EBIs suitable for adoption, implementation, and sustainment in childcare centers serving racially/ethnically diverse, low-income families should be adaptable, easy to use, and low-cost (initial and ongoing). There is also some evidence from these findings of the heterogeneity that exists among childcare centers serving low-income families in that smaller, less resourced centers are often less aware of EBIs, and the preparation needed to implement EBIs. Future research should examine how to better support EBI dissemination and implementation to these settings.

Facilitators and Barriers to Implementation and Sustainability of Nutrition and Physical Activity Interventions in Early Childcare Settings: a Systematic Review.

A stronger understanding of the factors influencing implementation of interventions in community-based early childcare settings is needed. The purpose of this systematic review was to synthesize existing research on facilitators and barriers to implementation and sustainability of nutrition and physical activity interventions in early childcare settings targeting 2-5-year-old children, including considerations for equitable implementation. This review adhered to PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Peer-reviewed literature was searched in PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, ERIC, and PsycINFO databases up to September 2020. Primary research studies that examined facilitators and barriers (or related synonyms) to the implementation and sustainability of nutrition and physical activity interventions in early childcare settings were eligible for inclusion. The search yielded 8092 records that were screened by four analysts in Covidence software with a final review of 24 studies. Two independent reviewers conducted study selection, data extraction, and quality appraisal (Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool). A "best fit" framework was applied using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) constructs to code barriers and facilitators. The most salient constructs were (1) "Available Resources," which was composed of time, staffing, space, and staff trainings; (2) adaptability; and (3) compatibility, the latter two indicating that easily modifiable interventions facilitated a smoother "fit" and were more likely to be successful, given adequate site-level resources. Only nine (28%) reported the use of a theory, model, or framework to guide evaluation; six studies (24%) included factors related to sustainability; and nine studies (38%) conducted their interventions with low-income or minoritized groups. The findings point to the need for intervention evaluations examining nutrition and physical activity to more consistently consider (a) sustainability factors early on in design and adoption phases; (b) use of theory, model, or framework to guide evaluation; and (c) equity-related frameworks and considerations for how equitable implementation.

Applying unsupervised machine learning clustering techniques to early childcare soundscapes

Early childhood is a critical time period for language, brain, cognitive, and social/emotional development. Out-of-home childcare is a normative, typical experience for millions of young children. Although Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) in K-12 settings has received recent, significant attention, the links between IEQ and children’s learning and development in early childcare settings is a less understood topic. This work focuses specifically on the sound aspect of IEQ in early childcare settings to better understand typical noise levels and occupant experience. Standard approaches to analyzing background noise will be presented alongside more detailed statistical analyses utilizing unsupervised machine learning clustering techniques. Noise data collected in three daycares will be presented using typical acoustic metrics and clustering techniques to better understand room activity conditions and support new metrics. Overall, this study can lead to a better understanding of daycare soundscapes and pave the way towards a better childcare for young children.

Methods for Assessing Willingness to Try and Vegetable Consumption among Children in Indigenous Early Childcare Settings: The FRESH Study.

Food preferences begin in early childhood, and a child’s willingness to try (WTT) new vegetables is an important determinant of vegetable intake. Young children living in rural communities are at increased risk for food insecurity, which may limit exposure to and consumption opportunities for vegetables. This manuscript describes the validation of the Farfan-Ramirez WTT (FR-WTT) measure using baseline data from the FRESH study, a gardening intervention for Native American families with preschool-aged children in Osage Nation, Oklahoma. Individually weighed vegetable containers were prepared with six types of vegetables and ranch dip. Researchers presented children (n = 164; M = 4.3 years, SD = 0.8) with these vegetables preceding a snack- or lunch time and recorded the child’s FR-WTT for each vegetable using a 5-point scale, ranging from “did not remove food (0)” to “put food in mouth and swallowed (4)”. After the presentation period, contents were re-weighed to calculate vegetable consumption. Household parents/guardians completed the Child Food Neophobia Scale (CFNS) for their child. FR-WTT scores were positively correlated with consumption weights of all vegetables (r = 0.7613, p < 0.0001) and each vegetable individually (r = 0.2016–0.7664). The total FR-WTT score was inversely correlated with the CFNS score (r = 0.3268, p < 0.0001). Sensitivity analyses demonstrated similar relationships by BMI, food security, and age. In conclusion, the FR-WTT is a valid method for assessing young children’s vegetable eating behavior and intake.

Early childhood educator perceptions of risky play in an outdoor loose parts intervention.

Free play is important in early childhood and offers physical and mental health benefits. Outdoor play offers opportunity for children to use natural elements and promotes physical activity, among other health benefits, including exploring their environment and taking risks. Risky outdoor play may involve challenges, heights, speed, and the potential for injury, but has been associated with increased physical activity levels, decreased sedentary behaviour, improved mental health, and social benefits. The integration of loose parts, or open-ended, unstructured materials, into play environments, has been associated with positive social behaviours, creativity, and improved problem-solving, confidence, and resilience. As opportunities for risky play in early childhood are determined by adults, including early childhood educators, it is important to understand their perspectives on these types of play. The purpose of this study was to explore early childhood educators' perspectives of risky play, in the context of the Physical Literacy in the Early Years (PLEY) intervention. PLEY was a mixed methods study that aimed to evaluate a loose parts intervention in early childcare settings. This paper used Qualitative Description to explore educators' perspectives. Data were collected from 15 focus groups with early childhood educators. Four themes were identified through thematic analysis. The first explains how risky play with loose parts contributes to evolution in educator perceptions; the second describes how educators' perceptions of risk are connected to institutions and systems; the third illustrates how educators developed strategies to facilitate risky play with loose parts; and the fourth demonstrates how educators perceive risky play as beneficial for children's healthy development. This project highlights societal shifts in play and how loose parts and risky play fit into the ongoing evolution in play, from the perspectives of early childhood educators.

Effectiveness of Safety and Injury Prevention Training Workshops for Early Childcare Providers

Purpose: Unintentional injuries are the primary cause of morbidity and mortality among young children in the US. Ten percent of these injuries occur while in early childcare settings. Because of these statistics the AAP Healthy Futures project developed curriculum on injury prevention for early childcare providers. The goal of our project was to use the curriculum to educate early childcare providers about safety, to involve pediatric trainees in the process thereby educating them, and to promote partnerships between our AAP chapter …

Effectiveness of Safety and Injury Prevention Training Workshops for Early Childcare Providers

Purpose: Unintentional injuries are the primary cause of morbidity and mortality among young children in the US. Ten percent of these injuries occur while in early childcare settings. Because of these statistics the AAP Healthy Futures project developed curriculum on injury prevention for early childcare providers. The goal of our project was to use the curriculum to educate early childcare providers about safety, to involve pediatric trainees in the process thereby educating them, and to promote partnerships between our AAP chapter …

P47 EFNEP and SNAP-Ed Programs in the Early Child Care and Education Setting: Opportunities to Impact Both Adults and Youth

ObjectiveDescribe opportunities to strengthen behavioral outcomes in EFNEP and SNAP-Ed direct education through engagement in policy, systems and environment outreach projects in early childcare settings.Use of Theory or ResearchEducators in childcare settings are well-positioned to positively influence the nutritional habits of young children, however they may lack opportunities to learn about the nutritional care and feeding of this audience. This presents opportunities for EFNEP/SNAP-Ed programs to continue the shift in focus to instilling healthy habits earlier in the lifecycle. They can engage childcare employees in education related to best practices for infant and toddler feeding, the need for healthy mealtime environments and the importance of role-modeling healthy behaviors.Target AudienceEmployees of early childcare and education centers participating in WVU FNP Programs in 2018.Program DescriptionWVU FNP partnered with WVSTARS to offer 6.0 hours of professional development to employees in exchange for participation in a modified version of the Nutrition Education Aimed at Toddlers curriculum (Michigan State University). Marketing materials were created for front-line staff to recruit participants and programs launched in 2018.Evaluation MethodsOutcomes were evaluated using both the EFNEP Food & Physical Activity Questionnaire and the Web-based Nutrition Education and Evaluation Reporting System (WebNEERS) software.ResultsSixty-five people participated across 5 counties and 90% received continuing education credit. Graduation rates and behavioral outcomes in core EFNEP areas were similar or better than both overall West Virginia and national EFNEP levels, however improvements in fruit and vegetable intake and consumption of sugar sweetened beverages were lower than expected.ConclusionsBehavioral outcomes for child care center employees indicate a greater need for engagement around sugar sweetened beverage and fruit and vegetable consumption. Integrating existing FNP PSE support programs such as Rethink Your Drink, Kids Farmers Markets, gardening and Food of the Month at child care centers offers an opportunity to strengthen behavioral outcomes of childcare center staff as well as influencing health behaviors of children and families. Describe opportunities to strengthen behavioral outcomes in EFNEP and SNAP-Ed direct education through engagement in policy, systems and environment outreach projects in early childcare settings. Educators in childcare settings are well-positioned to positively influence the nutritional habits of young children, however they may lack opportunities to learn about the nutritional care and feeding of this audience. This presents opportunities for EFNEP/SNAP-Ed programs to continue the shift in focus to instilling healthy habits earlier in the lifecycle. They can engage childcare employees in education related to best practices for infant and toddler feeding, the need for healthy mealtime environments and the importance of role-modeling healthy behaviors. Employees of early childcare and education centers participating in WVU FNP Programs in 2018. WVU FNP partnered with WVSTARS to offer 6.0 hours of professional development to employees in exchange for participation in a modified version of the Nutrition Education Aimed at Toddlers curriculum (Michigan State University). Marketing materials were created for front-line staff to recruit participants and programs launched in 2018. Outcomes were evaluated using both the EFNEP Food & Physical Activity Questionnaire and the Web-based Nutrition Education and Evaluation Reporting System (WebNEERS) software. Sixty-five people participated across 5 counties and 90% received continuing education credit. Graduation rates and behavioral outcomes in core EFNEP areas were similar or better than both overall West Virginia and national EFNEP levels, however improvements in fruit and vegetable intake and consumption of sugar sweetened beverages were lower than expected. Behavioral outcomes for child care center employees indicate a greater need for engagement around sugar sweetened beverage and fruit and vegetable consumption. Integrating existing FNP PSE support programs such as Rethink Your Drink, Kids Farmers Markets, gardening and Food of the Month at child care centers offers an opportunity to strengthen behavioral outcomes of childcare center staff as well as influencing health behaviors of children and families.

“Whatever I Can Imagine, We Did It”: Home-Based Parental Involvement Among Low-Income African-American Mothers With Preschoolers Enrolled in Head Start

ABSTRACTResearchers are increasingly focusing on the home-based parental involvement experiences of low-income, African American families with young children. These studies document the positive ways that parental involvement can promote the school readiness of preschoolers who are at risk of not being ready for kindergarten. In light of the paucity of research on this demographic group and developmental period, this study examines the parental involvement beliefs and practices of low-income, African American mothers with preschoolers transitioning to kindergarten. Specifically, we conducted qualitative interviews with 20 low-income, African American mothers of preschoolers enrolled in Head Start. This research was informed by the Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler (HD-S) model of parental involvement and resilience theory, which allowed us to explore mothers’ beliefs about who should be responsible for preschool children’s transition to kindergarten and how these beliefs were implemented in mothers’ home-based activities. Our findings are consistent with tenets of both the Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler model and resilience theory. However, our findings expand these frameworks by detailing the unique experiences of low-income, African American mothers. The research findings offer recommendations for promoting parental involvement in early child care settings and the elementary schools into which children will be transitioning.

Educator perceptions on the benefits and challenges of loose parts play in the outdoor environments of childcare centres.

It is important to consider physical activity and movement in early life to ensure children establish and maintain healthy physical activity patterns. Recent evidence has highlighted the importance of outdoor play and the childcare environment. Active outdoor play, especially free play, supports independence, self-regulation and allows children to explore their world and make decisions. Loose parts or open-ended materials are natural or synthetic resources that can be used in more than one way, allowing children to experiment through play. Incorporating loose parts into play environments creates opportunity for new play experiences. Despite growing evidence supporting loose parts play, the perspectives of childcare providers on the benefits and challenges of this type of play have been overlooked. The purpose of this study was to identify the benefits and challenges of incorporating loose parts play into the outdoor environments of childcare centres, from the perspectives of educators who took part in the Physical Literacy in the Early Years (PLEY) project. PLEY is a larger, mixed methods intervention study with the goal of evaluating a loose parts intervention in early childcare settings. This portion of the project used qualitative description to explore educators' perspectives. Data were collected using focus groups (n = 15) with early childhood educators (n = 3–5 in each group). Thematic analysis was used to identify five themes relating to benefits, and four themes relating to challenges. Benefit themes included: loose parts enable children to take risks; loose parts spark creativity and imagination; loose parts contribute to problem-solving abilities; loose parts cultivate independence and confidence; and loose parts build relationships and leadership. Challenges included: apprehension of loose parts; loose parts as a novelty; sustainability of loose parts; and loose parts present challenges with storage. Overall, we found educators perceived outdoor loose parts play to have multiple social and cognitive benefits for preschool-aged children that are critical for optimal growth and development, and overall health and wellness.

Assess, Identify, Make it Happen (AIM) for Preschools: A Tool to Decrease Early Childhood Obesity.

Early childhood obesity is at epidemic proportions and is a major risk factor for the development of chronic diseases in adulthood. Since the majority of preschoolers are placed in center-based care, best practice policy, system, and environment (PSE) changes in early child care settings plays an important role in defining early development of obesogenic behaviors. However, implementation of best practice PSE changes is often a challenge in low resource settings due to staff turnover, time constraints, cultural beliefs, and lack of health-related knowledge. Assess, Identify, Make it Happen for Preschools (AIM-P) is a strategic planning process that was used with wellness teams in early child care centers to implement PSE changes that support adoption of health behaviors. AIM-P uses key change-making strategies based on intervention mapping including assets and needs assessments, prioritization of changes based on importance and feasibility, development of action steps and action plans, and identification of dissemination and sustainability plans. The AIM-P process resulted in implementation of 6.5 best practice PSE changes per site. Qualitative findings highlight lessons learned and the facilitators and barriers associated with using AIM-P to implement PSEs.

Child-care chaos and teachers' responsiveness: The indirect associations through teachers' emotion regulation and coping

Teachers in early child-care settings are key contributors to children's development. However, the role of teachers' emotional abilities (i.e., emotion regulation and coping skills) and the role of teacher-perceived environmental chaos in relation to their responsiveness to children are understudied. The current study explored the direct and indirect associations between teachers' perceptions of child-care chaos and their self-reported contingent reactions towards children's negative emotions and challenging social interactions via teachers' emotional regulation and coping strategies. The sample consisted of 1129 preschool-aged classroom teachers in day care and public pre-K programs across the US. We first found that child-care chaos was directly associated with teachers' non-supportive reactions after controlling for multiple program and teacher characteristics. In addition, teachers in more chaotic child-care settings had less reappraisal and coping skills, which in turn, was associated with lower levels of positive responsiveness to children. Teachers reporting a higher degree of chaos used more suppression strategies, which in turn, was associated with teachers' non-supportive reactions and fewer expressive encouragement reactions to children's emotions. Results of this exploratory study suggest that it is important to prepare teachers to handle chaotic environments with clear guidelines and rules. In order to encourage teachers' supportive responses to children, intervention programs are needed to address teachers' coping and emotion regulation strategies in early childhood education.

Hearing Loss Detection in Schools and Early Child Care Settings: An Overview of School-Age Hearing Screening Practices.

The school nurse is the key figure in successful school screening programs. A student with unidentified and unmet health care needs is unlikely to perform at their full potential, both academically and socially. The purpose of the article is to serve as a resource, providing guidance, strategies, and a discussion of available equipment to assist with successful screening programs.

Obesity Prevention in Early Child Care Settings.

Long-term evaluation studies reveal that high-quality early care and education (ECE) programs that include a lifestyle component predict later adult health outcomes. The purpose of this article is to characterize the nutrition and physical activity (PA) practices, including implementation difficulty and barriers, of licensed center- and family home-based ECE programs serving 2- to 5-year-old children in Minnesota (MN) and Wisconsin (WI). A stratified random sampling procedure was used to select representative cross sections of licensed ECE providers in MN and WI. A total of 2,000 providers (1,000 center-based, 1,000 family home-based) were randomly selected and invited to respond to a 97-item survey with questions representing (1) nutrition and PA practices, (2) barriers to meeting nutrition and PA best practices, and (3) written and implemented nutrition and PA policies. Summated scales were constructed for nutrition-related (range 0-15; Cronbach's α = .86) and for PA-related best practices (range 0-10; Cronbach's α = .82). A total of 823 providers returned surveys between August 2010 and March 2011, resulting in a 44% bistate participation rate. Across all programs an average ( SD) of 7.0 (4.1) nutrition best practices were already implemented. Center-based providers reported on average 0.8 additional nutrition best practice (7.4 vs. 6.6, p = .01). Across all programs an average ( SD) of 5.2 (3.1) PA best practices were already implemented. Center-based providers reported on average one more PA best practice (5.3 vs. 4.3, p < .01). The cost of healthy food and the weather were identified as barriers by 80% of providers, regardless of program type.

Speech-language pathology teletherapy in rural and remote educational settings: Decreasing service inequities

Purpose: The objectives of this study were to investigate the efficacy of a speech-language pathology teletherapy program for children attending schools and early childcare settings in rural New South Wales, Australia, and their parents’ views on the program’s feasibility and acceptability.Method: Nineteen children received speech-language pathology sessions delivered via Adobe Connect®, Facetime© or Skype© web-conferencing software. During semi-structured interviews, parents (n = 5) described factors that promoted or threatened the program’s feasibility and acceptability.Result: Participation in a speech-language pathology teletherapy program using low-bandwidth videoconferencing improved the speech and language skills of children in both early childhood settings and primary school. Emergent themes related to (a) practicality and convenience, (b) learning, (c) difficulties and (d) communication.Conclusion: Treatment outcome data and parental reports verified that the teletherapy service delivery was feasible and acceptable. However, it was also evident that regular discussion and communication between the various stakeholders involved in teletherapy programs may promote increased parental engagement and acceptability.

Building a Foundation for Resiliency from the Inside Out

Without question, advances in biophysiological and neurological science have contributed to our understanding of how family interactions may impact physical, emotional, and social well-being. Research across these disciplines has helped to identify sources of risk and protection for children and adults, and has provided an explanatory base for how ecological contexts within families and communities can impact healthy outcomes. This special issue, Biosocial Models of Family Science, brings these advances in neuroscience, biophysiology, and epigenetic research into the framework of their implications for family science, with a focus across areas of family science research, practice, and policy. Taking a life-span developmental approach, this issue presents articles across several key topics in family science. Articles are grouped together in sections with the first article describing an important advance in biophysiological or neurological science and the following article(s) exploring implications of that research as translated to family research, practice, and policy. This format provides readers with clear connections between these areas of research and guidance for how these advances can become tools to advance family researchers' and practitioners' support of family well-being and further understanding of the interactive nature of family systems and biophysiological health.Special Issue ContentEarly AdversitiesIn the introductory article of this special issue, Ha and Granger draw connections between the biophysiology of the stress response system and its impact on children, as well as on family interactions. Building from this foundation, Perry and Conners-Burrow outline steps to support the mental health and long-term outcomes of children facing adversity in early childhood. Skuladottir then describes an applied parent education program focused on supporting parents in early infant care.Child Care ExperiencesThe relation between stress related to poverty and its impact on children's experience of early childcare settings is examined in an article by Berry and Family Life Project investigators. Taking a closer look at the relation between ecological variables, such as socioeconomic level and immigration status, Crosnoe and Ansari review research outlining how early socioeconomic and demographic disparities impact children's transition to school and long-term educational trajectories.Childhood ObesityIn this area of growing concern for children and adults alike, Pervanidou and Chrousos examine biophysiological experiences associated with children's risk of obesity. The accompanying article by Fiese and Bost explores family ecologies as they relate to children's risk of obesity and sources of protective factors within these contexts. …