Inequalities in early childcare strategies: Evidence from Dutch administrative data.

Background/Objectives: The mental health of Early Childhood Care professionals is of great importance to ensuring the quality of intervention and the well-being of families. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between coping strategies, perceived self-efficacy and levels of depression, anxiety and stress in Early Childhood Care professionals. Methods: A study was conducted with a sample of 125 professionals (87% women; M = 33.40, SD = 9.70). Participants completed the Coping Strategies Inventory, the General Self-Efficacy Scale, and the DASS-21. The sample was predominantly female, which should be considered when interpreting the findings. Results: Cognitive restructuring, positive restructuring, and social support were negatively associated with depression, anxiety, and stress, while social withdrawal was positively related to all these variables. Self-efficacy showed high negative correlations with psychological distress and was a strong protective predictor. Emotional expression showed a positive association with depression. Conclusions: Self-efficacy and adaptive coping strategies act as protective factors against psychological distress, while social withdrawal is a significant risk. These findings highlight the need to implement training and prevention programs primarily aimed at enhancing perceived self-efficacy, with adaptive coping strategies acting as behavioral mechanisms through which this protective factor is strengthened and maladaptive responses are reduced.

Daycare as a Catalyst: Effects of Early Childcare Access on Mothers’ Earnings and Older Siblings’ School Attendance in Slums of Urban India

ABSTRACT This study aimed to identify those who are involved in time management in early childhood education and care contexts and to understand the intentions underlying time and routine organization. Focus groups were carried out with 20 educators from the public and private sectors. The content analysis of these interviews suggested that educators, children, and the management/coordinators of the educational centers participate differently in time organization decisions, seeking to respond to children’s needs. However, these time management decisions are often carried out according to adults’ agendas, with imposed schedules that create constraints in organizing routines that respond to children’s interests, especially if there are no negotiations among the agents responsible for time and routine organization. The results highlight the need to introduce greater intentionality and participation during time organization decision-making in the context of early education.

Gender disparities in early childcare practices impede gender equality and create long-lasting barriers to girls' health, well-being, and future opportunities. Through this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to quantitatively synthesise evidence on gender disparities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) across the World Health Organization's five components of nurturing care: breastfeeding, immunisation, prenatal check-ups, postnatal check-ups, and healthcare expenditure for children under five. We searched sixteen scientific databases, journals, and repositories in November 2021 and again in January-February 2024, for studies examining gender differences in early childcare practices in LMICs, covering breastfeeding, immunisation, prenatal, and postnatal check-ups, and healthcare expenditure for children under five. We set no restrictions on publication type or date, but with limitations to English-language studies with sample sizes over 30. We standardised effect estimates from individual studies into Hedges' g effect sizes and meta-analysed them using robust variance estimation. We assessed the quality of the included studies using the Joanna Briggs Institute quality appraisal tool. We identified 78 eligible studies covering 55 LMICs, with 52 studies and 231 effect sizes included in the meta-analysis. The pooled analysis showed gender discrimination against girls across outcomes (52 studies; Hedges' g = -0.082; 95% confidence interval (CI) = -0.133, 0.030), particularly pronounced in breastfeeding (17 studies; Hedges' g = -0.051; 95% CI = -0.089, -0.012) and immunisation (32 studies; Hedges' g = -0.073; 95% CI = -0.13, -0.016). While we also observed significant differences in favour of boys in pre- and post-natal check-ups (four studies; Hedges' g = -0.029; 95% CI = -0.058, -0.000), the results were less robust due to a limited number of studies. We found no gender differences in healthcare spending patterns (seven studies; Hedges' g = -0.278; 95% CI = -0.641, 0.083). Our meta-regression highlighted significant associations between a country's ranking on the Gender Inequality Index and effect sizes, indicating stronger health-related penalties for girls. Effect sizes did not significantly vary by regions and the quality of included studies. s Our findings emphasise significant gender disparities in early childcare practices and point to the need for more evidence on inequalities in healthcare access and expenditures. We simultaneously observed signs of a narrowing gender gap in recent years, suggesting gradual progress toward more equitable child health outcomes. PROSPERO: CRD42021286151.

Background: Child health plays an essential role in shaping the future of community for this reason, government worldwide have made child health care a priority studying the trends of utilization and benefits of child health care schemes is therefore, impairative to assess its impact on the community. Article 45 of the Indian constitution states that: “The state shall endeavour to provide the early childhood care and education for all the childrens, until they complete age of 6years.” The Integrated Child Development Services [ICDS] Schemes, which is the largest programme for promotion of maternal and child health and nutrition in India. A major component of this scheme is the BalSanjeevini Program [BSP]. Methodology: Pre-experimental i.e one group pre-test and post-test design was used. The sample includes 30 mothers. convenient sampling technique was used residing at selected rural areas of Ghataprabha. Data collected using structured knowledge questionnaire and analyzed using Descriptive and Inferential statistics. Findings: The calculated knowledge t value (t=17.05, P<0.7862%), hence health education assisted teaching programme proved to be effective. Conclusion: The finding of the study concluded that there was significant difference was found between the pre-test and post-test knowledge scores of women after the administration of health education. Therefore, study showed that health education was highly effective in improving the knowledge of mothers regarding child health schemes.

ABSTRACT Familial influence plays a decisive role in the choice to pursue a teaching career. Anchored in Bourdieu’s capital theory and the FIT-Choice framework, this study examines how family cultural and economic capital shape pre-service teachers’ career values and intentions. Analysing a large-scale sample of 15,010 Chinese freshman pre-service teachers, the findings reveal a strong connection between family capital and the intention to enter the teaching profession, with career values mediating the relationship. Notably, students from families with greater cultural capital are more likely to view teaching as intrinsically rewarding and socially impactful. The study also found that career value perceptions vary across subjects, with social utility influencing career intentions only among general majors (e.g. primary education, early childhood education and care), not STEM or Liberal Arts students. These insights provide valuable guidance for designing targeted recruitment strategies and highlight the importance of considering family background in shaping teacher education policies. The study also lays the groundwork for future research on how family influences steer career choices in teaching.

ABSTRACT Men remain underrepresented in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC), comprising fewer than 4% of the workforce across OECD countries including the site of this study, Australia. Despite global efforts to increase male participation, men are often the solo male educator and face both stigma as deviants and valorisation as pioneers. The extent to which these binary framings inform men’s professional identity is not well understood. Using frame analysis and Elliott’s (2020) conceptualisation of open margins and closed centres, we analyse accounts of 12 men working alongside other men in three ECEC services in Australia. We identify two dominant framings. The Crucial Man is employed to justify men’s presence by asserting they fill a deficit of masculinity as justification for their work choice. In contrast, when speaking of their role as an educator of young children, they frame themselves as The Professional Educator, focusing on caregiving, collaboration, and professional expertise they gain in their role. Our findings highlight the need to move beyond gender essentialism when developing policies aimed at increasing diversity within the workforce. Highlighting professionalism focuses on the central role of alleducators in ECEC rather than reinforcing narratives that assume a crucial role of men in ECEC.

Most children attend early childhood education care settings (ECEC settings), commonly known as nurseries in the United Kingdom. ECEC settings provide opportunities to improve health through improved nutritional quality and physical activity for young children. There is evidence from the US that the NAPSACC intervention improves nutrition and physical activity in ECEC settings. We adapted NAPSACC for the UK and investigated its fidelity, acceptability and sustainability within a multi-centre trial. Embedded process evaluation within a 12-month cluster randomised controlled trial with 52 ECEC settings (25 intervention and 27 control). The NAPSACC UK intervention comprised two six-month cycles of nutrition and activity self-assessment, staff workshops and goal setting, supported by public health practitioners. Data included: observations during training and workshop delivery, questionnaires to practitioners and ECEC setting staff; 11 interviews with practitioners who delivered the intervention, 11 ECEC setting managers, 5 commissioners, and two focus groups with the research team. Document analysis of self-assessment and goal setting forms was undertaken. Thematic analysis was conducted with both deductive and inductive codes, a coding framework and triangulation across data sources. Three-quarters (19/25) of intervention ECEC settings implemented the NAPSACC intervention across one cycle. Only 40% implemented a second cycle, mainly due to delays in scheduling staff workshops caused by sector-wide staffing challenges. ECEC setting managers valued the opportunity to reflect on practice and the support offered by the practitioner. ECEC setting staff highly rated the workshops and valued support given by public health practitioners. 83% of nutrition and 70% of physical activity goals set by the ECEC settings were achieved (fully or partially) and self-assessment scores increased, with greater gains for ECEC settings implementing two cycles. ECEC setting managers planned to maintain the changes made but varied in their intention to continue self-assessment and goal-setting processes. Despite sector-wide staffing challenges, we saw high engagement from ECEC settings in self-assessment and setting goals to improve child nutrition and activity. However, future development and use of NAPSACC UK need to be considered in the context of a lack of measurable impact on objective measures of child health and the significant challenges of staff capacity and time. ISRCTN33134697, 31/10/2019.

Toy-Based Pedagogy (TBP) has gained increasing prominence in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) as a developmentally appropriate approach that promotes holistic learning through play and experiential engagement. The present study examines ECCE teachers’ perceptions regarding the importance of Toy-Based Pedagogy for children’s holistic development and analyses the challenges associated with its integration in ECCE settings. Using a descriptive survey design, data were collected from 60 ECCE teachers (30 urban and 30 rural) from Bargarh district of Odisha through two self-constructed questionnaires. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and an independent samples t-test. The findings reveal that teachers hold a strongly positive perception of the importance of TBP, particularly in enhancing cognitive and emotional development. However, the integration of TBP is constrained by systemic challenges, including resource limitations, insufficient training, curriculum and assessment pressures, and parental expectations favouring early academic instruction. The urban–rural comparison indicates no significant difference in perceived challenges, suggesting that barriers to TBP implementation are uniform across contexts. The study concludes that while ECCE teachers recognise the pedagogical value of Toy-Based Pedagogy, its effective implementation requires coordinated support through teacher capacity building, curriculum–assessment alignment, institutional facilitation, and parental sensitisation. The findings have important implications for strengthening play-based pedagogical practices in ECCE.

Canada lacks national data on the current provision of outdoor play (OP) in Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) programs. In this study, we report results of the Measuring Early Childhood Outside (MECO) national survey to fill this gap and examine the factors that are associated with children’s OP and risky play in ELCC programs. Respondents included ELCC centres providing full-day licensed group care (birth to school entry) in Canada. Primary outcomes measured were OP frequency, OP duration and risky play occurrence. Hierarchical multiple regressions were used to examine relationships and interaction effects between the primary outcomes and 14 variables encompassing centre, staff, physical environment and OP provision characteristics, for infant/toddler-aged and preschool-aged programs separately. A total of 1,187 ELCC centres responded to the MECO survey (9.8% response rate), of which 67.2% were non-profit providers. Most centres went outdoors every day, regardless of the season, though they spent less time outdoors in the winter than in the summer. Risky play was limited, with play at heights being the most common, and use of fire the least common. Variables that emerged as positively associated with most outcomes across programs related to training of centre directors and educators, giving children the autonomy to make decisions about going outdoors, providing all-weather gear, including diverse affordances (loose parts, gardening elements, fixed equipment), having outdoor spaces larger than required by licensing requirements, and the use of off-site spaces. Information about the current state of OP in ELCC centres is important at a time of considerable expansion in the sector, helping inform evidence-based policy development to enhance OP opportunities across Canada.

Canada lacks national data on the current provision of outdoor play (OP) in Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) programs. In this study, we report results of the Measuring Early Childhood Outside (MECO) national survey to fill this gap and examine the factors that are associated with children's OP and risky play in ELCC programs. Respondents included ELCC centres providing full-day licensed group care (birth to school entry) in Canada. Primary outcomes measured were OP frequency, OP duration and risky play occurrence. Hierarchical multiple regressions were used to examine relationships and interaction effects between the primary outcomes and 14 variables encompassing centre, staff, physical environment and OP provision characteristics, for infant/toddler-aged and preschool-aged programs separately. A total of 1,187 ELCC centres responded to the MECO survey (9.8% response rate), of which 67.2% were non-profit providers. Most centres went outdoors every day, regardless of the season, though they spent less time outdoors in the winter than in the summer. Risky play was limited, with play at heights being the most common, and use of fire the least common. Variables that emerged as positively associated with most outcomes across programs related to training of centre directors and educators, giving children the autonomy to make decisions about going outdoors, providing all-weather gear, including diverse affordances (loose parts, gardening elements, fixed equipment), having outdoor spaces larger than required by licensing requirements, and the use of off-site spaces. Information about the current state of OP in ELCC centres is important at a time of considerable expansion in the sector, helping inform evidence-based policy development to enhance OP opportunities across Canada.

Early childhood services can lay a critical foundation for refugee and immigrant children as they develop in new cultural contexts; however, these populations are underrepresented in a variety of early childhood programs such as early care and education, home visiting, and early intervention. This scoping review examines the strategies being implemented to increase newcomer families' participation in services and parent preferences for early childhood services. A systematic search yielded 38 studies, 22 of which included strategies to increase access for newcomer families and 20 of which explored parent preferences around early childhood education. Identified strategies to promote access were categorized as program responsiveness (67%), outreach (57%), workforce responsiveness (57%), service delivery (52%), added supports (52%), social networks (43%), partnerships (43%), program policies (43%), or state and national policies (29%). Parents' preferences for care were related to child academic and social-emotional development (80%), perceived quality (65%), type of care (65%), cultural responsivity and match (60%), and language (50%). Most studies focused on access or preferences related to early childhood programs or child care and early education broadly (89%), while fewer focused on strategies to increase access to home visiting or early intervention (11%). Additional research is needed to identify the strategies being utilized to promote access to home visiting and early intervention and to empirically test the relationship between identified strategies and improved access to these services.

ABSTRACT This piece problematizes complexity in work-life balance policies in 15 European countries and examines their underpinning models of parental agency. It compares parenting-related leaves and early childhood education and care policies in terms of the support they offer to parents and the resultant gaps in coverage (the childcare gap). The article develops a conceptual framework that differentiates between three constructions of parental agency: relatively autonomous, moderately constrained and heavily constrained. Applying this line of analysis, three main country groupings emerge. Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Slovenia and Sweden are most supportive of parents' autonomous agency with well-paid leaves that overlap with entitlement to childcare that give parents choice around the care of their young children. Parents in all the other countries face trade-offs around money, time or services, but to a differential degree. Germany and Latvia moderately constrain parental agency with a relatively short childcare gap. All the other countries - Belgium, Czechia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Spain and the UK - place relatively heavy constraints on parental agency, with rather long childcare gaps and/or long unpaid or low-paid leaves, thereby forcing parents to trade off time with low or no compensation if they wish to care for their young children themselves.

Abstract Faced with multiple simultaneous adversities that extend beyond traditional adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), including systemic oppression and family separation due to detention or deportation, children of immigrants, a growing segment of the US population, face a public health crisis necessitating immediate attention. Experiencing these potentially traumatic events during the critical period of young childhood, especially in the absence of protective resources, can yield substantive short- and long-term developmental problems. Accordingly, there is an urgent need for evidence-based strategies for responding to ACEs and immigration-related adversities in young children of immigrants. This systematic review synthesizes literature indexed in PsycINFO from 2000 to 2025 on programs aimed at addressing ACEs in young children of immigrants in their natural settings ( n = 15). Eligible studies were screened following PICOTS inclusion criteria requiring programs to address ACEs or trauma exposure among young children of immigrants and be deliverable in early childhood education or faith-based settings. The review is framed by three interrelated core protective systems identified by ACE researchers as important for the prevention, detection, and intervention of ACEs in children: (1) building children’s individual strengths; (2) developing attachment to nurturing caregivers; and (3) building a protective community (Sciaraffa et al., 2018). From this perspective, we present evidence-based strategies and programs that address one or more of these protective systems, can be implemented with young children in early childhood education and care centers (ECEC) or faith communities, and are appropriate for addressing immigration-related adversity.

The preschool years (ages 3-5) represent a critical window for promoting development and lifelong health. However, in many low-resource settings, developmental delays, sensory impairments and emerging health risks often go undetected. Although early, integrated screening improves outcomes, early childhood care and education (ECCE) platforms in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are underutilized for delivering preventive services. Implementation is hindered by limited resources, poor intersectoral coordination, logistical constraints and low caregiver engagement. This study describes the iterative refinement of an initial screening protocol into a proposed flexible, tiered screening model, embedded within a guiding framework tailored to ECCE settings in LMICs. An observational, descriptive study was conducted in low-resource urban, peri-urban and rural communities in a central South African province to collect baseline data on preschoolers' development, sensory functioning (vision and hearing), nutrition and health (including blood pressure). The initial multi-indicator protocol was implemented and refined using a Participatory Action Learning and Action Research (PALAR) approach. Feedback from caregivers, ECCE facilitators, interpreters, student fieldworkers and healthcare professionals guided adaptations. Stakeholders identified key barriers, including fragmented caregiver-child scheduling, long assessment sessions, limited interpreter resources, caregiver disengagement and difficulty engaging children with developmental and behavioural challenges. In response, a proposed model was developed to consolidate visits, reduce session duration, enhance interpreter support and streamline screening tools. The flexible, tiered structure of this proposed model allows assessors to tailor screening based on observed functional capacity, improving feasibility, accuracy and cultural responsiveness. It supports scalable application across similar low-resource ECCE contexts. This developmentally informed, proposed screening model, operating within a flexible framework, offers a context-sensitive, scalable approach to improving early identification and referral in LMIC ECCE settings. Its adaptable structure supports broader implementation, enhances alignment with children's developmental needs and informs future policy and integrated service planning.

Background/Objectives: Breastfeeding is widely acknowledged for its benefits to child development and maternal well-being. Yet breastfeeding practices often decline during early childhood transitions, particularly when children enter early childhood education and care (ECEC) services. Research has largely concentrated on healthcare contexts, leaving the educational domain comparatively underexplored in its potential to sustain or hinder breastfeeding continuation. This cross-sectional study examines associations between maternal beliefs regarding the value of breastfeeding and personal, relational, and contextual factors related to breastfeeding continuation within ECEC settings. It also incorporates educators' perspectives and situates breastfeeding practices within the broader framework of parental ethnotheories. Methods: The study formed part of a pilot parental engagement initiative involving 17 childcare centers in Northern Italy, designed to promote dialogue and supportive practices around breastfeeding within ECEC services. This context is acknowledged when interpreting findings related to organizational climate and educator perspectives. Participants included 490 mothers of children enrolled in ECEC services and 118 educators. Mothers completed questionnaires assessing breastfeeding beliefs and experiences, co-sleeping practices, perceived social support, and parental ethnotheories (independence versus interdependence). Educators reported on their experiences in supporting breastfeeding within the childcare context. Analyses included descriptive statistics, analyses of variance, chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression to examine factors associated with breastfeeding continuation. Results: Mothers strongly endorsed the developmental benefits of breastfeeding and expressed greater alignment with caregiving practices emphasizing interdependence and physical proximity. Continued breastfeeding within childcare settings correlated with interdependence-oriented ethnotheories, younger child age, and higher engagement in co-sleeping practices. Educators reported generally positive views of breastfeeding in childcare, highlighting its contribution to children's emotional security and maternal calm, alongside its negligible impact on educational organization. Conclusions: ECEC services play a crucial role in sustaining breastfeeding beyond the domestic sphere. Relational practices and organizational climates that welcome breastfeeding can foster continuity of care, strengthen parental engagement, and promote child well-being.

The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility and fidelity of an 8-week teacher-guided active play intervention in an early childcare education setting. The secondary aim of this study was to examine the effects of the intervention on physical activity (PA) levels, time-on-task (TOT), and explore how teacher habit formation (automaticity) influenced implementation fidelity. Two preschool centers were randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 27 children, 3.91 ± 0.53years) or the control group (n = 25 children, 3.69 ± 0.81years). Teachers in the intervention group delivered 15-min indoor and outdoor active play opportunities for 8weeks. Retention measures occurred 14weeks later. Weekly checklists and informal interviews were conducted to assess intervention fidelity. Likert-style surveys were completed by teachers each week to assess automaticity. Wrist-worn accelerometers assessed PA during the school day. A modified time sampling technique was implemented for TOT observations. Teacher reports indicated the intervention was relatively easy to implement. The intervention group participated in significantly greater amounts of indoor PA from baseline to post-intervention (F (1,40) = 13.59, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.254) and from baseline to retention (F (1,33) = 16.84, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.994) when compared to the control group. Active play opportunities did not significantly impact TOT. This study indicates that this type of intervention is feasible, particularly for indoor active play opportunities, and automaticity impacts implementation fidelity. Results of this study highlight the need to help decrease teacher barriers and increase active play during the preschool day.

Effectiveness of an environmental nutrition and physical activity intervention in early childhood education and care settings (NAPSACC UK): a multicentre cluster randomised controlled trial.

This report leveraged the subsample of romantically involved participants in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development at the most recent assessment of the cohort (n = 505; Mage = 28.6 years; 58.1% female; 81.7% White/non-Hispanic) to study the role of three theoretically salient childhood interpersonal experiences as potential antecedents of self-reported romantic relationship adjustment in early adulthood. Predictors were measured multiple times prospectively in childhood through adolescence and included (a) direct observations of maternal sensitivity in dyadic interactions with participants from age 1 month through 15 years, (b) participants' reports of the quality of their best friendships from Grade 3 to age 15 years, and (c) participants' primary caregivers' reports about the quality of their own romantic relationships when target participants were being reared. Composite assessments of these three childhood interpersonal exposures were each uniquely predictive of participants' romantic relationship adjustment in young adulthood after accounting for demographic covariates, though the overall effect size was modest (ΔR² = .05). (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).