Quality Day Care Research Articles

Employed Mothers’ Justifications for Using Child Home Care Allowance in Finland

This paper examines the justifications for using the Child Home Care Allowance given by Finnish mothers with a one-year-old child, and the factors associated with these justifications. The study is based on a survey with parents, focussing on mothers with existing employment contract and spouse ( n = 530). The main justification for home care of a one-year-old child was that the child is too young for out-of-home day care. Experiencing home care as the best interest of the child did not vary according to socioeconomic background. Normative views of motherhood as well as criticism towards the quality of day care was more likely among mothers with a lower occupational status. The practical difficulties of working life were more pronounced among mothers with irregular working hours. The financial unprofitability of employment as a reason for home care was related to the mother’s weaker subjective health, lower socioeconomic status, and higher number of children in the family.

How Daycare Quality Shapes Norms Around Daycare Use and Parental Employment: Experimental Evidence from Germany

How Daycare Quality Shapes Norms Around Daycare Use and Parental Employment: Experimental Evidence from Germany

The manifestation of practice-based continuous professional development in ECEC: qualitative insights from an Abecedarian initiative in Denmark

ABSTRACT The potential for professional development initiatives to improve quality in ECEC is an area of increasing international interest. This article presents insights from an ethnography into the manifestation of a two-year practice-based continuous professional development initiative (Educational Quality in Daycare: EQD) informed by the Abecedarian approach to adult–child interactions, involving nine municipalities across Denmark. Detailed qualitative data draws attention to factors influencing learning processes, closely following the participation of three municipalities within the initiative. This highlights implications of their organisation of this participation for practitioners’ engagement, where the levels of managerial support available, the establishment of propitious cultures of reflection and the development of professional practices and identities are found to be closely linked. The article contributes to existing literature by considering the implications of the situated organisation of systemic practice-based continuous professional development initiatives, emphasising the importance of attention to facilitation of cultures of reflection.

Promoting Health and Wellness in Young Children: Preschool Assessment

Children’s formative development is most critical during the preschool years. It is during the earliest years of a child’s life when the fundamental building blocks of learning, cognitive development, academic achievement, information processing, language, and interpersonal skills are acquired and developed. Preschools are well suited to shape children’s overall health and well-being, with burgeoning research demonstrating a relationship between early life experiences and subsequent adult health. Preschool and quality daycare provide rich opportunities for children’s learning, yielding long-lasting and significant effects. Comprehensive preschool assessment sheds light on aspects of the whole child, providing early identification of potential problems and the subsequent development of evidence-based interventions to address delays in development. The following chapter will provide a rationale for preschool assessment, identify specific domains in need of consideration, and promote the systematic linkage of established interventions to promote children’s intellectual functioning, academic achievement, information processing, and skill development.

보육교사의 성격 5요인과 동료 관계가 소진에 미치는 영향

Objectives This study intends to improve daycare quality by examining the impact of personality types and coworker relationship on burnout among daycare teachers, as well as psychological characteristics that can help prevent burnout among daycare teachers.
 Methods The participants in this study were 198 daycare teachers who worked in daycare centers in Seoul and Chungbuk. In addition, In addition, Pearson's timely correlation coefficient was calculated to analyze the correlation between descriptive statistics and variables to find out the general trend using the SPSS 21.0 statistical program. Multiple regression analysis was also conducted to find out the influence between burnout.
 Results First, emotional exhaustion was favorably connected with neurotic characteristics, while sincerity, extroversion, affinity, and openness were negatively correlated when the five personality variables of daycare teachers, coworker relationships, and burnout were investigated. Extroversion, affinity, and honesty were negatively connected with dehumanization, while neurotic factors were positively correlated. Sincerity, extroversion, affinity, and flexibility were inversely connected with a drop in sense of achievement, while neurotic factors were positively correlated. The relationship between coworker relationships and burnout sub-factors was all negative, indicating that the better the coworker relationship, the less dehumanization, loss of achievement, and emotional exhaustion. Second, when looking at the five personality factors of daycare teachers and the effect of relationships with coworkers on burnout, it was observed that neurosis, which is a sub-factor of burnout, had a substantial effect among personality factors, while other personality factors had no effect. Dehumanization had a strong impact on personality traits such as neuroticism and coworker relationships, as well as sincerity, affinity, and extroversion, which had a major impact on achievement loss.
 Conclusions As a result, efforts should be made to aggressively assist daycare teachers with aspects that are prone to burnout among the teacher's personality features, and diverse program support is needed not only for individuals but also for teachers to have a mutual interaction.

Effective playing environment management improving the quality of services for daycare

The application of effective playground environment management can improve the quality of daycare (TPA) services. This study aims to describe the effective management of the playground environment in enhancing the quality of services at Daycare. The research method uses a qualitative descriptive approach. The study's data sources were one manager, five educators, and two accompanying teachers. Data collection techniques using documentation, observation, and interviews. The data analysis technique uses data triangulation techniques through data reduction, presentation, and conclusion drawing. The results and findings showed that effective playground environment management improves the quality of services implemented at was through several stages, including the planning, implementation, and evaluation stages. The planning stage determines business opportunities, meeting facilities and infrastructure standards, learning strategies, the quality of educators for education staff, and service programs. The implementation stage is done by implementing an integrated service program through holistic services. Furthermore, the evaluation stage is done by reporting the implementation and evaluation of activities in the teacher council and foundation meeting forums held in monthly meetings. This management can be used as a reference as a means of effective play management for children's play.

Understanding the perceptions of low-income American working mothers in rural areas: exploratory analysis of relative care

ABSTRACT Informal childcare has a significant impact on the economic and social conditions of low-income families. However, as opposed to formal childcare, there is a lack of studies about relative care and its impact on working mothers. This study used the extended ethnographic comparative case method and analytical induction methodology to analyze in-depth interviews of 18 American females selected by purposive and convenient sampling: nine low-income working mothers living in a rural Midwestern area and another nine relatives who provided childcare. Low-income working mothers selected relative care because of children’s safety, the trustworthiness of caretakers, doubt in the quality of daycare, and relative care’s affordability. All mothers were satisfied with the activities offered by relative care. Outcomes supported that relative care helped mothers’ psychological, emotional, and economic well-being. The results of the caretakers were mixed. While some relatives addressed their complete happiness, others stated that providing care reduced their time and resources. Social workers need to understand the functions of extended family networks in rural areas, which have limited resources. The U.S. government should consider providing financial incentives for relatives who spend their time and energy assisting working mothers, as well as childcare subsidies for low-income families who rely on relative care.

The Physical Context of Child Development

Child development reflects interactions between personal characteristics and the physical and social environment. Psychology, however, lacks analysis of physical features that influence child development. In this article, I describe a preliminary taxonomy of physical-setting characteristics that can influence child development, focusing on environmental stressors such as noise, crowding, and chaos along with structural quality of housing, day care, and schools. Adverse outcomes associated with suboptimal physical settings during childhood include cognitive and socioemotional difficulties along with chronic physiological stress. Both direct effects on the child as well as indirect effects occurring via significant persons surrounding the child are described. Methodological limitations, particularly reliance on observational studies, are a weakness in the current literature, but increasingly more rigorously obtained findings yield converging evidence of the effects of physical settings on child development.

Qualitative analysis on needs of family caregivers for people with dementia

AbstractBackgroundDementia is a public health challenge worldwide. Caring for a person with dementia affects different caregivers in different ways. The objective of this study was to explore the role caregivers (FCGs) for people with dementia play, along with their needs and the stress they experience, as a means of understanding their overall experience of caring. Second, to identify coping strategies employed by FCGs and to explore positive aspects of the caring relationship in relation to their quality of life, information needs, day care and respite care, and emotional support. Third, to develop a medical‐social collaboration model from socio‐ecological perspectives to provide support services to older adults with mild to moderate dementia and their FCGs at the community level.MethodDifferent support groups for older adults with dementia include hospital caregivers’ support groups, district‐based dementia care networks, and community non‐government organizations participating in this project. Through four focus groups for FCGs, qualitative data were collected.ResultFrom December 2018 to March 2019, 80 FCGs were recruited through purposeful sampling. They shared similar demographic and socio‐demographic backgrounds. Addressing the first two objectives involves exploring the role, needs, and stress of FCGs and identifying their coping strategies. Five major themes relating to FCGs’ experiences were identified through the focus groups on caregiving for older adults with dementia: a) seeking understanding, b) stabilization, c) preparation, d) implementation, and e) adaptation. In addressing the third objective, with reference to Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1977, Bronfenbrenner and Ceci, 1994), a medical‐social model was developed and to provide support services to FCGs at the community level. The facilitators and barriers identified by thematic analysis.ConclusionMany of the barriers and facilitators identified are echoed by findings from previous studies. Individuals’ needs must be integrated into future service planning and decision‐making processes.

Structural, Process and Curriculum Quality of Day Care and Preschool Provisions in the Netherlands

The presented study investigated the structural, process and curriculum quality in Dutch Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) system. Teachers (N = 46) completed a structured questionnaire about the teacher, classroom and center characteristics. Furthermore, the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) Toddler was used to measure the process quality in 28 Dutch day care and preschool provisions considered to be good practices. Results regarding structural quality revealed small significant differences between day care and preschool provisions for teacher’s educational level, children-to-teacher ratio, and classroom composition. As regards process quality, the results showed moderate to high Emotional Support and moderate levels of Support for Learning in both types. No significant differences were identified in process quality between day care and preschool classrooms. Finally, the teachers reported placing the greatest emphasis on activities involving pretend play, self-regulation and language and fewer opportun­ities concerning literacy, maths and science activities, with no significant differences between the two provisions.

Child care quality and Dutch 2‐ and 3‐year‐olds' socio‐emotional outcomes: Does the amount of care matter?

AbstractHigh amounts of early child care have sometimes been linked to higher levels of behaviour problems, while high‐quality child care has more often been related to fewer behaviour problems and more social competence. The current study investigated whether the level of centre emotional and behavioural support (child care quality) interacted with the amount of child care in predicting children's socio‐emotional behaviour. Participants were 417 children (mean age = 27 months) from 61 Dutch daycare centres. The amount of daycare ranged from 1 to 5 days per week (M = 2.3 days). Multi‐level analyses showed that, independent of the amount of daycare, high levels of centre emotional and behavioural support were related to more caregiver‐rated social competence 1 year later. In addition, children spending 3.5 days or more in highly supportive daycare centres showed the lowest levels of parent‐rated externalizing behaviour 1 year later. The findings emphasize (a) that the combined effects of the amount and quality of child care are important and (b) that high‐quality early child care is related to children's socio‐emotional development. Further policy, practice, and research implications are discussed.Highlights We studied in a Dutch sample how the amount and quality of daycare interacted in relation to children's socio‐emotional outcomes. High levels of daycare quality were related to more teacher‐rated social competence. Children spending 3.5 days or more in highly supportive daycare centers showed less parent‐rated externalizing behavior.

How neuroendocrinology can contribute to early childhood education and care: Cortisol as a supplementary indicator of quality

How to measure quality of early childhood education and care is an evergreen topic of research and discussion in various disciplines. Here, we propose a contribution from developmental neuroscience and neuroendocrinology. In this secondary data analysis study, we tested the hypothesis that salivary cortisol can serve as a reliable objective indicator of early childhood education quality. As measured by the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R), our analysis confirmed early childhood education and care differences between the two communities in our study. Also, ratifying previous studies in the literature, our results showed that, as daycare quality increased, cortisol levels decreased in children and early childhood educators in both communities. Regardless of the community, the quality difference was slight to moderate, yet it was reflected by a significant difference in aggregate cortisol levels—indicating that the sensitivity of the latter measure could serve as a very useful and convenient population-level indicator of childcare quality and early learning from early infancy to school age.

CHILD DEVELOPMENT: COMPARISON BETWEEN CHILDREN WHO ATTEND OR DO NOT ATTEND PUBLIC DAYCARE CENTRES

Objective : To avaluate and compare the development of children attending public nursery school from their peers who remain only in the home environment. Methods : We performed an observational, cross-sectional study with 167 children aged between 11 and 57 months from Alto Vale do Jequitinhonha, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The subjects were divided into two groups (nursery and hom areas:e), homogeneous in age, gender, socioeconomic status, and maternal education. The development areas: personal-social, language, and fine and gross motor were evaluated through the Denver II test and the quality of environment of the five public nursery school ‘ through the Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale-Revised Edition (ITERS-R). We used the chi-square statistical test for comparison between groups. Results : There were no significant statistical differences between groups for the overall test result for Denver II, nor for the different areas of the test. The environments presented daycare quality between ‘inadequate’ and ‘minimal’. Thus, there was no difference between attending a low quality daycare or just staying in the home for child development. Conclusion : No difference was observed when comparing the development areas: personal-social, language, and gross and fine motor of child who attend public nursery school and their peers who remained only in the home environment. The daycare environments analysed showed quality considered ‘inadequate’, which may have influenced the results as the literature has pointed out the need for a quality childcare environment to positively influence child development.

Higher cortisol is associated with poorer executive functioning in preschool children: The role of parenting stress, parent coping and quality of daycare

Child executive functions (cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control, working memory) are key to success in school. Cortisol, the primary stress hormone, is known to affect cognition; however, there is limited information about how child cortisol levels, parenting factors and child care context relate to executive functions in young children. The aim of this study was to examine relationships between child cortisol, parenting stress, parent coping, and daycare quality in relation to executive functions in children aged 3–5 years. We hypothesized that (1) poorer executive functioning would be related to higher child cortisol and higher parenting stress, and (2) positive daycare quality and positive parent coping style would buffer the effects of child cortisol and parenting stress on executive functions. A total of 101 children (53 girls, 48 boys, mean age 4.24 years ±0.74) with complete data on all measures were included. Three saliva samples to measure cortisol were collected at the child’s daycare/preschool in one morning. Parents completed the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function – Preschool Version (BRIEF-P), Parenting Stress Index (PSI), and Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WCQ). The Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale – Revised (ECERS-R) was used to measure the quality of daycare. It was found that children with poorer executive functioning had higher levels of salivary cortisol, and their parents reported higher parenting stress. However, parent coping style and quality of daycare did not modulate these relationships. Identifying ways to promote child executive functioning is an important direction for improving school readiness.

Local Day-Care Quality and Maternal Employment: Evidence from East and West Germany

By investigating how locally available early childhood education and care quality relates to maternal employment choices, this study extended the literature which has mostly focused on the importance of day-care availability or costs. We provided differentiated analyses by the youngest child’s age and for West and East Germany to examine moderating influences of varying day-care supply and work-care cultures. The empirical analysis linked the Socio-Economic Panel and the 'Families in Germany'-Study for 2010 and 2011 (N=3,301 mothers) with regional structural quality data. We used regression models of employment status and work hours changes, respectively. In East Germany, mothers with a child aged under three years who lived in districts with smaller day-care groups were more likely to be employed and to extend their work hours. In West Germany, the negative association of child-teacher-ratios with maternal employment was marginally significant. For mothers with older children, day-care quality was unrelated to employment.

Challenges and strengths of early childhood education in sparsely populated small provinces the case of Lapland, Finland

Background: Every under-school-age child in Finland is justified to receive day care and early childhood education according to law regardless of the childs place of residence. The nation wants to invest in quality early childhood education because both parents of the vast majority of families with children under school age are in full -time employment. How is this arranged in sparsely populated, remote provinces and municipalities? Purpose: Due to remote location and long distances between families, the solutions of guaranteeing quality day care services for all children is challenging. In this review paper, the practical realization of early childhood education in the province of Lapland with 6,000 children under school age is discussed. Conclusion: Suggestions for t he future are presented, especially the possibilities of distance education and online peer support for early childhood educators.

Kinderkrippen – Chancen und Risiken für die kindliche Entwicklung

Summary Empirical studies have identified various factors influencing the effects of early day care on child development. An overview of the effects of quality, quantity and stability of day care as well as family and child characteristics reveals chances and risks that come along with early day care. Implications for the decision about the right child care arrangement and for the improvement of early day care are presented.

Canadian parents’ knowledge and satisfaction regarding their child’s day-care experience

The purpose of this study was to examine parental selection criteria and satisfaction with day care, knowledge about centre philosophy, teacher education and quality of the day-care environment. Parents ( n = 261) and educators ( n = 94) in 44 non-profit centres in three Canadian cities participated. Parent knowledge was assessed by phone interview, and day-care quality was rated. Many parents reported knowledge of the centre’s philosophy and were highly satisfied with the care but sometimes held inaccurate views of the teacher’s education. Parent education positively predicted parental knowledge of centre philosophy, while a trend was evident between parent knowledge of centre philosophy and the quality of the day-care environment (i.e. educator–child interaction), after accounting for site effects. Given that parent knowledge about their child’s day-care experience may sometimes be incomplete, more frequent and informative parent–educator communication is required, particularly about children’s learning and development.

Parental Stress and Daycare Attendance. Does Daycare Quality and Parental Satisfaction with Daycare Moderate the Relation Between Family Income and Stress Level among Parents of Four Years Old Children?

This study examine whether quality of daycare and parental satisfaction with daycare moderate the relationship between family income and parental stress. The sample consisted of 163 families of four year old children (Montreal), who have attended regulated daycare full time since 12 months old. Results indicate that parental satisfaction with daycare is a significant predictor of parental stress and that low quality of care moderates the relation between low family income and high parental stress. The results underline the importance of interventions to enhance quality in daycare settings, particularly in a childcare network largely funded by the government.

The effects of group daycare in the context of paid maternal leave and high-quality provision

Social benefits and quality of group daycare vary greatly across countries; the effects on children may depend on the social context. This study used the prospective Norwegian cohort of 24,259 (MoBa; Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study) to examine predictors of group daycare, and the effects of family risk and group daycare on child behaviour at 36 months. The results showed that virtually all 9-month-olds remained in maternal care; while at 18 months over two-thirds attended some form of group daycare. High maternal education and family income very strongly predicted children's attendance in group daycare—a social selection opposite to that found in North America. Group daycare had a statistically significant effect on both distress and aggression, but the effect was very weak. Family risk was associated with both distress and aggression, but this did not differ according to type of care. The findings show a marked difference from those in North America, suggesting that social selection worked in the opposite direction. This was probably due to Norway's generous paid maternal leave and high-quality daycare.