Participation In Early Childhood Education Research Articles

School Readiness Among United States Children: Results From the 2022 National Survey of Children’s Health

ObjectiveProvide the latest national and state estimates and correlates of the proportion of young children who are healthy and ready to learn (HRTL) using a revised measure from the National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH). MethodsData were analyzed for 11,121 children ages 3 to 5 years from the 2022 NSCH, an address-based, parent-completed survey on the health and well-being of children in the United States. A total of 27 items across 5 domains (early learning skills, social emotional development, self-regulation, motor development, and health) were used to calculate domain-specific assessments scored as “on track,” “emerging,” or “needs support” according to age-appropriate developmental expectations. Children “on track” in 4 to 5 domains with no domain that “needs support” were considered HRTL. ResultsIn 2022, 63.6% of 3- to 5-year-old children were HRTL. The proportion of children “on track” ranged from just over two thirds for early learning skills and motor development to 88.9% for health. One million children, or 9.0%, needed support in multiple domains. Being HRTL was associated with child, family, community factors including participation in early childhood education, special health care needs status/type, male sex, reading/singing/storytelling by family members, adverse childhood experiences, parental mental health and education, food insufficiency, outdoor play, household language, neighborhood amenities, rural residence, medical home access. ConclusionsNearly two thirds of young children are reported to be HRTL, meeting the Title V National Outcome Measure for School Readiness. Using a revised measure, modifiable factors are identified which offer a range of intervention opportunities at the child, family, and community levels.

Nutritional Status on the Cognitive Development of Early Childhood (5-6 Years) at TKQ/TPQ Al hafiz Medan

Research purposes are analyzing nutritional status, stimulation, psychosocial factors, and influencing factors in cognitive development in preschool children. Study This was carried out in Babakan Village, District Dramaga, Bogor Regency, West Java. Study This cross-sectional design was done with respondents mothers who have children ages 3–5 years old. Fifty-eight children are involved. Spread-level education Mother Of the various percentages, the largest (44.8%) had a high school education. About 78% of per capita income families are classified as not poor and 22.4% are in the poor category. The average score of knowledge nutrition for mothers amounted to 76.7 ± 2.5 (the category currently). Most of the child preschools (84.4%) have score stimulation psychosocial in category medium (30-45). Nutritional status of toddlers showed that 15.5% of toddlers were underweight, 5.2% were underweight, 3.4% were severely underweight, and 19% of children entered the categories of short and very short (stunted). Regression results gradually show that stimulation psychosocial (P<0.001), participation in early childhood education (P = 0.002), and nutritional status based on index height against age (P = 0.028) had an effect positive and significant on the development of cognitive child preschool (adjusted R2, 0.434; P = 0.028).

Parents’ adverse childhood experiences matter too: The impact of multigenerational trauma on participation in early childhood education for Latinx children

Childhood trauma impacts most children in the United States, with exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) like abuse, neglect, or witnessing violence linked to negative outcomes across the lifespan. Early childhood education (ECE) programs, such as therapeutic preschools, that utilize two-generation approaches to services have demonstrated proven benefits for children with trauma exposure; however, less is known about the impact of ACEs on early childhood program engagement and retention. The current study, set in a two-generation therapeutic preschool program, examined 173 pairs of primarily Latinx parents and children to understand in what ways parent and child ACEs, coupled with family contextual risks like homelessness and child welfare involvement, impact program engagement for children with trauma histories. Results indicate that children whose parents had an elevated ACE score (four or more trauma experiences) were more likely to terminate ECE participation early compared to children whose parents had less cumulative trauma. Families with parents and children who both had high ACEs were over six times more likely to terminate program participation early. However, once accounting for early termination, ACEs had minimal impact on ECE engagement. These findings highlight the need for ECE programs to consider the whole family at entry and target early retention efforts towards families with greater cumulative trauma histories.

Male Educators in Pre-School Education: Recognition or Anxiety?

Introduction. Some parts of the education system, especially the pre-school and primary phases, remain almost exclusively “female” professional niches, and for years this dramatic gender imbalance in the educational workforce worldwide has been considered “natural” and not worthy of research. The situation has begun to change in the last two decades, as more and more researchers internationally have begun to study various aspects of male participation in early childhood education and care. The Russian academic community has been slow to join the debate, and Russian publications on males in Early Childhood Education and Care are next to naught. Materials and Methods. The authors used a diverse pool of primary and secondary information sources, such as official statistics, open source publications (content analysis of the texts of the “Kindergarten Dads” project) and newly collected empirical data (survey of 142 students of the Institute of Pedagogy and Psychology of Education of the Moscow City Pedagogical University (2022 year) and the vision of the Institute’s director, Professor A. I. Savenkov), to explore the following questions: 1) How many male educators work in the pre-school sector and in what capacity? 2) How are male educators represented in public and professional discourses? 3) What strategies have been used to attract more men into the sector and how successful have they been? Results. Despite the limitations of the available statistical data, some general conclusions can be drawn: the proportion of male pre-school educators in Russia has always remained extremely low. A peculiar combination of references to classical masculinity and gender equality in the construction of the image of a male educator. Summarizing the main results of the study, perhaps the most important point to highlight is the complexity and heterogeneity of teacher traineesʼ perceptions of the profession, their future, and male teachers. Discussion and Conclusion. Overall, our statistical analysis suggests that while barriers to more men entering the pre-school teaching profession are still prevalent and continue to create obstacles, they may not be as insurmountable as hypothesised and can be reduced, if not overcome, through targeted educational policies. Our case studies show that to be successful, recruitment and retention strategies need to address a range of common and male-specific barriers. These include changing the social image of pre-school sector as a female domain, improving pay and career prospects for some, if not all, types of jobs in the sector.

Child Participation in Early Childhood Education from the Perspective of Female Students Specialising in Preschool and Early Childhood Education

This article addresses the subject matter of child participation in decision-making, events and social or civic activities at the early childhood education stage from the perspective offemale students at a Polish university. This study aimed to explore and analyse the opinions of female students preparing to become teachers for grades 1–3 in primary school, focusing on their perspectives regarding child participation while utilising Roger Hart’s “Ladder of Children’s Participation” concept. In this qualitative study, a semi-directed, problem-oriented focus group interview was conducted, followed by a content analysis of the data obtained. Female students at a large university in a medium-sized city in Poland were invited to participate in the study. The study depicted that they equated theprocess of developing skills related to participation, understood as involvement in society,with formal education. Their responses were dominated by approaches related to full participation, while other views indicated a lack of confidence in implementation of full participation at the early childhood education stage. These concerns, inter alia, include the presumed lack of developmental readiness of children, as well as the requirements that prevent the creation of a participatory environment (compulsory core curriculum). As the analysis of the study programme of future female teachers, conducted as a context, has shown, issues related to child participation have been dealt with marginally, which needs to be corrected.

Unpacking and unpicking the challenge of 600 hours of preschool attendance

The Australian Government’s (2022) Preschool Reform Funding Agreement and initiatives by state governments aim to lift enrolment and maximise the benefits of early childhood education (ECE) in the year before school. The Agreement is particularly relevant for children and families from vulnerable and disadvantaged backgrounds, many of whom do not utilise the annual attendance target of 600 hours available to every child. Children’s enrolment and daily attendance records are key to understanding participation in ECE, but few studies or government reports have examined this information in detail. Drawing on administrative records provided by 19 long day care and preschool centres/schools in areas of socio-economic disadvantage, we analysed weekly attendance for 971 preschool-aged children over four 10-week terms. Results for the ‘percentage of enrolled days’ attended (M = 88%) and ‘total hours’ attended (M = 576 h) approached the target but differed for children enrolled in preschool versus long day care.

Access to formal childcare among families of newly arrived migrants from non-EU countries in France

Labour force participation of female migrants from non-EU countries, particularly recently arrived, is lower than among other groups and more affected by the presence of children. While care responsibilities are the primary reasons for this situation—immigrant families have a lower use of formal childcare services and less possibilities to receive informal support—the respective role of structural constraints and norms and preferences in this result still raises questions. In addition, families from non-EU countries may encounter greater difficulties in accessing public services, including formal childcare. We explore the determinants of participation in early childhood education (ECEC) among families of recently arrived migrants from outside of the EU in France. We use the Longitudinal Survey on the Integration of First-Time arrivals (Elipa 2) carried out among third country nationals receiving a first residence permit in France in 2018 and focus on their small age children (0–2 years). ECEC enrolment rates are lower than in the general population, and this appears to be primarily linked to these families’ disadvantaged socio-economic position in the destination country. However, families’ distinct socio-economic and cultural resources, as well as their origin, also shape their use of public services. These results contribute to a better understanding of the specific needs and obstacles faced by these families, and identify potential areas for policy actions.

Urban-rural achievement gap in low- and middle-income countries: The role of early childhood education

In low- and middle-income countries, rural children rank below their urban counterparts on academic achievement. Given the importance of early childhood education (ECE) in promoting early learning, the urbanicity disparities may be partially explained by limited ECE availability in rural areas and the proliferation of private centers in urban areas. Using data from 6,000 economically disadvantaged children from India, Peru, and Vietnam, this study estimated the size of the differences in academic achievement between urban and rural children at ages five and eight after controlling by child and family characteristics. Additionally, we explored whether participation in public and private ECE mediated the relation between urbanicity and achievement. Results showed that family characteristics explained around half of the urbanicity-related gaps in achievement in Peru and Vietnam and completely explained these gaps in India. Additional results indicated that living urban areas was positively associated with academic achievement through increased attendance to ECE, with larger gains related to attendance to private centers. These results suggests that ECE access may be a promising pathway to close the urban-rural achievement gap. However, monitoring the quality of ECE settings serving low-income children -especially those in rural areas- is necessary to reap the full benefits of early education on child development.

Young people’s literacy, numeracy achievements, and the school-to-work transition: a longitudinal study of regional variation

ABSTRACT We conducted a study on a local scale targeting the relationship of economic capital, cultural capital, young people’s literacy, numeracy achievements, and the school-to-work transition. We investigated whether participation rates by very young children in early childhood education (ECE) may mediate the historical effects of economic and cultural capital. We analysed longitudinal data from a high-quality national database that included information from 103 Italian provinces. We used structural equation modelling (SEM), multi-sample SEM to investigate spatial inequalities, and mediation analyses. Vector Autoregression models were estimated to determine the temporal trend and the relationship occurring between economic capital and ECE. Results indicate that economic capital is associated with young people’s literacy and numeracy achievements and with the NEET rate, with only partial mediation played by the rate of participation in ECE. The association of cultural capital on the NEET rate is near to significance, but it is strongly mediated by participation in ECE. Together, these results imply that the rate of participation in ECE in the Italian provinces may mediate the effect of cultural capital, but only partly that of economic capital.

Patterns of participation in early childhood education before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia

The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected children’s care and education worldwide. This article reports on patterns of participation in early childhood education and care (ECEC) across Australia as influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic and national policies. Using ECEC data from Xplor – a software platform used across Australian childcare centres (2019: n = 229,349; 2020: n = 229,468), patterns of attendance rates were examined nationally in 2019 and 2020 by service-level and family-level characteristics. The average attended hours per week of ECEC nationally in 2020 (18.32 hours) was less than that in 2019 (21.26 hours). Attendance rates at ECEC in 2020 declined rapidly from 66% to 26.2% at the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak. Fee-free subsidy from Australian governments did not substantially increase attendance or reduce disparities in attendance for vulnerable families. Low ECEC attendance rates for prolonged periods could have significant implications for child development, particularly for children from vulnerable backgrounds.

Correction: Toddlers with the Doll Carriage: Children Doing Space of Participation in Early Childhood Education

Correction: Toddlers with the Doll Carriage: Children Doing Space of Participation in Early Childhood Education

“I need energy to make my brain work”: Supporting children, teachers and whānau through the KidsCan ECE programme

The KidsCan ECE programme is designed to remove barriers to participation in early childhood education through the provision of raincoats, shoes, nit treatment products, lunches and snacks. Data from an evaluation of the pilot programme involved surveys and interviews with whānau and teachers. Findings showed the benefits for children’s health and attendance, although not every child experienced the same beneficial changes. This article considers some of the key findings of the evaluation in relation to participation, nutrition, wellbeing and learning and, recognising not all services have access to the KidsCan programme, discusses the potential value for all children of shared eating and cooking experiences.

TEACHERS’ PERSPECTIVES ON PROMOTING CHILDREN’S PARTICIPATION IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

In democratic society, participation is child’s right from an early age. Within early childhood educational practice, teachers should create diverse and meaningful situations in which children can get experience of how to be part of a group or community. The aim of the study was to examine teachers’ perspectives on promoting children’s participation in early childhood education. A survey of teachers involved in 5- and 6-year old children’s preparation for school was conducted. 2419 teachers representing 741 educational institutions of Latvia participated in the survey. Using a 6-point Likert scale, respondents assessed different statements regarding children’s participation in early childhood education. Teachers’ preparedness to carry out the children’s participation in their educational practice was self-assessed as well. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The analysis of the survey data shows that teachers consider children’s participation a significant component of the educational process. The involvement of children in the discussion of important group issues and their influence on decision-making as well as teachers’ respect of children’s questions during the play-based lesson time was ambiguously assessed. Most teachers declare appropriate self-assessed competences to promote children’s participation in their educational practice.

Toddlers with the Doll Carriage: Children Doing Space of Participation in Early Childhood Education

AbstractThis article focuses on child participation in early childhood education (ECE). The theoretical basis for this study is a relational approach that highlights the significance of spatiality and materiality. Drawing from these theoretical perspectives, child participation is understood as a space that children actively do in various combinations of social, material and cultural relationships. The study relies on a relational understanding of the child as not only being, but also becoming by doing space within one’s environment. The methodological framework draws on narrative childhood studies that emphasize the multimodality of children’s narration. The research material consists of small stories from a Finnish ECE centre. The analysis focused on children under 3 years of age doing space of participation with material items in ECE. The study shows that space of child participation is dynamic in the everyday relationships. The findings illustrate children’s doing space of participation as a tension-filled phenomenon which requires children to balance between the active agency and adapting to the expectations of the environment. The findings uncover the three-fold nature of the space—namely, the social, material and cultural dimensions—that is meaningful for child participation. The doll carriage as a material item played a crucial role in children’s doing space of participation: it provided opportunities for children to formulate the ownership of the space, to construct peer relationships, and to shape and defend the borders of one’s space. The study contributes theoretically and methodologically to ECE research by opening new perspectives on the participation of young children.

Child participation in early childhood education in Spain: When having rights does not mean being able to exercise them

This article carries out a systematic review of the scientific literature on child participation in the formal education system in Spain between 2010 and 2022. Recognising the importance of child participation in the context of the European Union, the theoretical principles of this study are in line with the perspective that child participation involves recognising the fundamental right of children to be heard and taken into consideration from an early age and providing them with the opportunity to convert that listening into positive changes to aspects that affect their lives. Child participation has significant benefits, both from an individual point of view (the child’s own development and the recognition that all rights are for all children), and a social and collective point of view (the strengthening of democracy itself making the school a school for participation). The systematic review of the scientific literature was conducted according to the PRISMA statement 2020. The analysis of the selected articles was based on the Lundy model of child participation (2007) which considers four dimensions: space, voice, audience and influence. The results show that despite the Spanish scientific community’s growing interest in child participation in the field of early childhood education, school culture is still very adult-centric. Aspects related to the dimensions of voice, audience and influence could be improved for which more research is required. There is a clear need to broaden the techniques and instruments required for making child participation effective, and experiences that go beyond consultative participation should be developed. This would enable forms of child participation focused on improving their lives based on their own needs being heard and taken into consideration.

What drives early childhood education attendance? The role of structural factors and personal beliefs in Germany

The paper investigates which and how characteristics of the family, the child, the context, and personal beliefs are related with attendance in early childhood education (ECE), examining their dynamics across the first three crucial years of children’s life. By relying on the theoretical model developed by Pungello and Kurtz-Costes, we contribute to the literature on selection into ECE by providing (i) a comprehensive framework simultaneously integrating different sets of factors that can influence access to ECE and (ii) an empirical test of their relevance across crucial children’s developmental stages by using recent data from the German National Educational Panel study. Binomial logistic regression models, applied to multiply imputed data, show that the German ECE system remains unequal even after a period of intense reforms. Inequalities begin already at one-year-old, being largest when children are two years old and decreasing at age three. Findings confirm the importance of structural divides linked to children’s social origins and residential area as main drivers of ECE inequalities, especially at two years old. Yet, also mothers’ beliefs play an important role: perceiving formal care as a tool to both support children’s cognitive enrichment and favour their own occupational career increases children’s ECE participation.

Effect of Parents Involvement at Early Childhood Education in Government Schools of Peshawar

The cognitive, social, and emotional growth of children are all improved when their parents are actively concerned in their early education. The purpose of this research is to examine how parental participation influences children's academic and social-emotional growth in public preschools. Peshawar parents who sent their kids to public school were surveyed using a quantitative methodology that have a questionnaire. The results show that children's academic achievement and social-emotional development benefit from parents' participation in early childhood education. Families in Peshawar who have children enrolled in school are the subjects of the research. Participants were chosen using a convenience sampling method, and there were a total of 476 people in the study's sample. Researchers concluded that public schools should do more to involve parents in their children's early learning.

INCREASING STUDENT PARTICIPATION THROUGH LEARNING CONCEPT MAP OF EARLY CHILD EDUCATION STUDENTS

This research is Classroom Action Research (CAR). The research was conducted for 2 cycles with 3 meetings. Methods of data collection using written tests, observation sheets to observe the participation of Early Childhood Education students.The results showed that there was an increase in Student Participation Through Concept Map Learning for Early Childhood Education students. In cycle I it was 52.50% and in cycle II it was 75.83%. So, from cycle I to cycle II, students' reading comprehension ability increased by 23.33%. While the increase in student participation through learning concept maps for Early Childhood Education students in cycle I was 41.67% and in cycle II was 75%. So from cycle I to cycle II it increased 33.33%. Therefore it can be concluded that Concept Map learning can increase student participation in early childhood education.

Cultural capital, economic capital, and participation in early childhood education: A place‐based approach

AbstractEarly childhood educational development (ECED) is increasingly recognized as a crucial period for human development. We studied the relation of cultural capital, economic capital, and participation in center‐based ECED at a local level. We used a high‐quality national database, collecting data from 103 Italian provinces. Choropleth maps, structural equation modeling (SEM), and mediation analysis were adopted to assess the effect of cultural and economic capital on participation in ECED. We employed multi‐sample SEM to assess geographical disparities at a regional level. We found that Central Italian provinces present the highest level of cultural capital, as well as the highest rate of participation in ECED. Cultural capital, but not economic capital, is associated with participation in ECED in the short and medium term. At least in part, cultural capital can mediate a historical effect played by the economic capital or by the cultural capital itself. Together, these results highlight the importance of investing in cultural capital, as it may also foster the development and rate of participation in center‐based ECED. This may mitigate the effect of social disparities and economic inequalities on education.

Introduction to Special Focus

Early childhood is a period that is marked by rapid changes in development. Exposure to enriched experiences such as positive family interactions, participation in early childhood education, and community engagement can foster healthy development and prevent many behavioral and mental health difficulties. Conversely, young children’s development can be negatively influenced by a variety of risk-factors that have unfortunate long-term outcomes. Given the pervasive impact of behavioral development on young children’s overall developmental outcomes, research examining strategies to enhance young children’s positive behavioral outcomes is needed. The purpose of this paper is to introduce Part 1 of a two part special issue in Perspectives on Early Childhood Psychology and Education that pertains to enhancing young children’s behavioral outcomes. Rationale for the special issue, content of included articles, and special considerations for readers are described.