Childcare Support Research Articles

아이돌봄지원사업 종사자의 자기효능감과 사회적지지가 직무만족에 미치는 영향

The purpose of this study was to examine effects of self-efficacy and social support on job satisfaction of babysitters as child care support project workers. How to increase job satisfaction of these child care support project workers is also proposed. For the purpose of this study, questionnaires were distributed to 310 babysitters at childcare service providers in Sejong City, Korea. A total of 258 questionnaires were used for the final analysis. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS 29.0 statistical program through frequency analysis, descriptive statistical analysis, independent sample t-test, ANOVA, correlation analysis, and hierarchical regression analysis. It was found that the higher the preference for task difficulty in self-efficacy and the higher the family support, the more efforts they made to develop individual teaching methods. In social support (total), job satisfaction was higher among those who entered the institution through training course, received higher salary, and received higher support from seniors (person in charge in connection with service providers), colleague, and family. However, the lower the final education, the lower the job satisfaction. As for effects of job satisfaction sub-factors on interpersonal relationships, those who were older with higher sense of self-regulation, higher support from superiors, peers, and family seemed to have higher satisfaction with interpersonal relationship. Regarding overall job, those who had higher level of supports from superiors and peers with higher salary had more positive attitude toward the overall job. Those living in Dong who had higher education background were not satisfied with the job. Regarding salary and welfare benefits, the higher the level of salary and the more family support, the more satisfied they were. However, the higher the final level of education, the less satisfied they were. Difficulty was also expressed in the preference for task difficulty for self-efficacy. As for the development of individual teaching methods, it seemed that the more children they took care of, the more difficult it seemed to develop childcare teaching methods. This paper recognizes the importance of job satisfaction to improve the quality of public care services provided by babysitters, seeks ways to overcome difficulties through self-efficacy enhancement and social support, and tries to provide basic data for policies and practice methods that can increase job satisfaction.

Evaluating Childcare Support in NCI Designated Cancer Centers for Patients with Young Children Undergoing Treatment

The daily nature of radiotherapy treatment can be challenging for parents diagnosed with cancer who have young children. Access to affordable and convenient childcare can be a considerable hurdle to treatment adherence. We aim to determine the breadth of childcare services and support provided by NCI-designated cancer centers to decrease the burden and stress of receiving radiotherapy treatment of patients with children. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of the 70 NCI-designated cancer centers. Centers were originally contacted by phone call utilizing their publicly available website, and the researcher asked to speak with the radiation oncology department social worker. Calls were conducted from June 2022 through February 2023. As a result of low response rate, a second methodological design was developed through a collaboration with Association for Directors of Radiation Oncology Programs (ADROP) whereby their listserv was utilized to connect with social workers. For both query designs, social workers were asked what childcare services are offered by the center, if such services are internal, if patients are referred to external organizations, as well as if such organizations operate charitably or require payment for their services. Centers were stratified by type of childcare support offered and compared across private versus public institutions. Sixty-three of the 70 NCI-designated cancer centers were contacted for data collection, excluding 6 identified as basic laboratories and 1 center serving only pediatric patients. Contact was established with the social work department of 39 cancer centers (62%), of which only 19 (49%) had a radiation oncology departmental social worker. Response data were gathered from 11 (58%) total centers regarding their childcare services. Of the centers surveyed, 10 (91%) indicated the primary form of support offered was via referral to external organizations. Four centers (36%) described offering financial support for childcare, three of which are privately-funded institutions. When queried about the need for childcare support provided by cancer centers, 4 of the 5 surveyed public institutions expressed a need for expansion of these services; the 6 private institutions denied a need for these services among their patient population. Lack of access to childcare presents a significant burden to adherence to radiotherapy among parents undergoing radiotherapy with young children. Our study showed that external community organizations currently play a crucial role in providing childcare support to parents with cancer and demonstrates an inequity between private and public institutions in the perceived need of childcare support for their patients as well as ability to offer direct financial support.

Electoral System Reform and the Politics of Policy Change

As women’s participation in the workforce expands, many countries seek to reform child care support by changing the gender division of labor. Japan also attempted universalistic child care support reforms, though these were not always successful. The electoral reforms of the 1990s prompted the major political parties to make universalistic reforms, and the major party leaders advocated similar ideas. Still, they failed to extend benefits to all children. Agreement on the expansion of funding was particularly challenging. By analyzing coalition formation within and among political parties, I show that the electoral reform led to stiff competition, which made it difficult for parties to agree. The change to a majoritarian electoral system not only intensified inter-party rivalry but also made it difficult to persuade intra-party groups that perceived a threat to their electoral success.

Experiences of nurses managing parenthood and career: A systematic review and meta-synthesis.

Consolidate and synthesize evidence on working nurse-parent experiences of parenthood. Demands in healthcare strain the workforce, causing burnout and high turnover rates, especially among nurses. Balancing work and family responsibilites is even more challenging for nurse-parents. Nursing is highly stressful, and the experiences of nurse-parents are under-researched highlighting the need to better understand and support nurse-parents in their dual roles. Seven databases (PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ProQuest, Scopus, and Web of Science) were systematically searched for published and unpublished primary qualitative studies. Extracted data were meta-summarized and synthesized using Sandelowski and Barroso's approach. Twelve peer-reviewed studies, conducted between 2007 and 2022, investigated the challenges faced by 339 female nurse-parents across various countries. The meta-synthesis revealed two main themes: (a) Clashes of dual roles, and (b) Accept, adapt, and compromise, which were supported by six subthemes. Nurse-parents struggled with dual roles, often neglected self-care, and experienced work-family conflicts. However, they learned to accept their situations, adapt by seeking help from family, friends, and colleagues, and compromise on career aspirations to prioritize their families. The importance of organizational support and flexibility in accommodating their dual roles was emphasized. Female nurse-parents face challenges in balancing their dual roles, resulting in fatigue, compromised self-care, and limited social interactions. The culture of self-sacrifice in nursing contributes to these challenges, impacting patient safety. Supportive interventions like mindfulness programs and exercise classes can promote well-being. Staffing shortages and shift work further affect the work-life balance for nurse-parents. Creating a supportive work environment for nurse-parents is crucial. Family-friendly shifts revised parental leave policies, and improved childcare support are needed. Supporting nurse-parents benefits their well-being and enhances patient care. Collaboration between healthcare organizations and policymakers is essential to address workforce shortages and implement changes.

Cross-Cultural Mobility and Agency in Assessing the Appropriateness of Child Supervision in the Context of Cultural Diversity and Migration in Quebec

Confusion over what constitutes appropriate childrearing practices in culturally diverse settings may result in the stigmatization of ethnic minority families and over-reporting to child welfare services. This study explored stakeholders’ views on (in)adequate supervision across cultural and socioeconomic groups and how they assess the risk of harm in cases of lack of supervision. Focus group discussions were held with (a) adult caregivers (n = 39) and adolescents (n = 63) in family-based care from French-speaking Quebecers and migrants from Latin America, the Caribbean, and South Asia; and (b) professionals (n = 67) in the education, health, child welfare, and security sectors in Quebec. The main criteria used to assess the appropriateness of supervision were the maturity, level of ability, age, and sex of the child, as well as contextual factors, such as proximity of other people, location, and type and duration of the activity. Mobility and immobility notions are used to explore the developmental considerations of competence and readiness within the home and in other social environments where adults’ and children’s perceptions of safety and maturity may differ, as well as the need to move away from rigid policy implementation. This paper advocates for careful consideration of the capacity and agency of children affected by migration in the provision of childcare support and their meaningful participation in research and decision making in matters that affect them.

The doubly disadvantaged: The motherhood penalty for internal migrants in China

AbstractObjectiveThis study examines hourly earnings differentials among internal migrants in urban China according to motherhood status and child coresidence. It also contemplates the potential mediation of family support and flexible work arrangements.BackgroundExisting research has primarily studied the general population of working mothers, most of whom co‐reside with their children and enjoy access to childcare support from local institutions. Our knowledge remains limited regarding international and internal migrant mothers, a large and vulnerable group that often suffers institutional segregation. Moreover, some migrant mothers leave children behind, while others do not; this fact helps us transcend the dichotomous mother/non‐mother distinction to better understand the nuances between theoretical explanations of motherhood status (being a mother) and childcare obligation effects that are otherwise intertwined in the general population.MethodThis study analyzed a representative sample of 41,996 internal married migrant women in China in 2015. Propensity score weighting methods were used to account for potential selection based on a rich set of confounders. Structural equation models were applied for mediation analysis.ResultsInternal migrant mothers in China are disadvantaged in hourly earnings, particularly those who live with their children. Living with the spouse or parents (‐in‐law) does not mediate the motherhood penalty, but working part‐time and self‐employment do.ConclusionThis study reveals an additional disadvantage for migrant mothers apart from the well‐known difficulties that confront Chinese internal migrants because of institutional segregation. These doubly disadvantaged mothers deserve public attention and policy interventions to attain a family‐friendly employment environment.

Women healthcare professionals' experiences and needs regarding the COVID-19 pandemic from a gender perspective.

Accounting for 70% of healthcare workers worldwide, and 56% in Turkey, women continue to be the frontline fighters in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. Their needs may be overlooked as a result of their growing responsibilities both in their professional and private lives. This descriptive study aimed at identifying the gendered needs and experiences of women healthcare workers in Turkey throughout the pandemic. This study consists of 1082 healthcare professionals' responses of various positions across several provinces and facilities, collected through a web-based survey of 50 questions. Almost all participants (94%) expressed feeling anxious over the pandemic regardless of their working units. Four out of ten (38%) respondents noted working for 41h or more on average weekly, and most of the participants who worked for long hours were assigned in COVID-19 units. Non-clinical personnel reported less difficulty in work/life balance. 64% of the respondents reported not having gone through any training on COVID-19, and eight out of ten (81%) said they had information needs. Research findings suggest that 92% of participants' needs remained unmet. While 74% of the respondents pointed out not having an income that is worthwhile, 72% referred to the need for psychosocial support, 58% need for support in domestic work and 37% support for child care as their primary needs. Results of the research highlighted the gendered needs of women healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic, and disseminate protective and preventive health policies and practices through a gender responsive approach.

Cutting-Edge Challenges: How Work Stress and Age Affect Fertility and Pregnancy in Female Surgeons

In the modern world, due to pregnancy-related stigma, unmodified work schedules throughout pregnancy, short maternity leave options, and little support for postpartum childcare and breastfeeding requirements, female surgeons often delay starting a family until after training. This can result in an increased risk of infertility and pregnancy complications, especially as female surgeons spend their prime fertile years focused on their medical education and career. Additionally, female surgeons are more prone to stress and burnout, which can affect fertility. Offering extensive maternity leave and incentives, hiring more medical professionals to share the workload, and conducting informational sessions on the potential risks of delaying pregnancy could help address these challenges.

Extended family collaboration in childcare during the coronavirus disease-19 pandemic

The coronavirus disease-19 pandemic and the accompanying public health restrictions have posed significant challenges to parents with dependent children. A rich body of literature has examined the problems encountered by parents and their gendered division of labour in childcare during the pandemic. However, little attention has been paid to their interactions and collaborations with extended family for childcare. Drawing on qualitative interviews with 43 urban parents in Shenzhen, China, I examine how parents mobilised childcare support from extended family during the pandemic, focusing on their collaboration with grandparents. Viewing parenting as a series of interactive and relational practices, I analyse how parents made new childcare arrangements and sought support from extended family to cope with work–childcare conflict and their ambivalence towards family collaboration in childcare during the pandemic. My findings highlight the significance of extended family collaboration for parents to overcome childcare challenges and reveal the embeddedness and relationality of parenting during the coronavirus disease-19 pandemic within extended family.

Maternal Age at First Birth and Parental Support: Evidence From the UK Millennium Cohort Study

Using nationally representative data from the UK Millennium Cohort Study (n = 7396), we investigate whether the mother’s age at first birth is associated with the level of support she receives from her parents around the time of birth. We apply latent class analysis to construct a summary measure of five dimensions of parental support (contact with the mother, contact with the father, childcare, monetary transfers and financial support for buying essentials). The results show that parental support is negatively associated with maternal age at first birth, with older mothers being less likely than younger mothers to receive parental support. Adjustment for maternal socio-demographic characteristics and parental age partially attenuates the association. Given that parental support is positively associated with adult children’s well-being, labour force participation, and fertility the results suggest that integrating parental support into work investigating the causes and consequences of the timing of first births has the potential to enrich and expand our understanding of the costs and benefits of delaying childbearing towards older parental ages.

Cultural and social support explanations of the native-migrant gap in the use of day care for pre-school children

ABSTRACT Migrant families are generally less likely to use nonparental care for their pre-school-age children than native families. The few studies that have systematically examined the determinants of centre-based care (day care) for migrants have often zoomed in on the migrant population and have not made comparisons with natives nor have they decomposed the migrant-native gap. This paper presents a mediation analysis with an elaborate set of measures conceptually categorised into cultural and social support explanations. Using nationally representative survey data on Dutch parents with origins in Muslim countries and a comparison group of parents with Dutch origins (natives), this paper shows large and growing gaps in the enrolment of 0–4-year old’s in subsidised day care even after controlling for differences in working hours, income, and education. A substantial part of the gap could be explained by cultural differences, particularly the more traditional attitudes toward marriage and family and the higher levels of religiosity among migrants. Of the cultural effects, a lack of trust in institutions appeared to play no role. Social support explanations that rely on alternative sources of support for child care were less important and differences in neighbourhood cohesion served as a suppressor of the gap.

Work, Parenting, and Well-being: An International Survey of Neurologists During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

COVID-19 reframed the relationship between work and home and, in general, made both more difficult-especially for parents. We hypothesized that, among neurologists, the effects of the pandemic on productivity and on well-being would be greater on those with children than on those without children and that the effects would be greater on women with children than on men with children. We conducted an international electronic survey launched by the Practice Current section of the American Academy of Neurology. The survey included questions on demographics (self-identified gender, number of children and elderly dependents, childcare support, and country and state when applicable), workflow changes because of COVID-19, impacted domains, and productivity and well-being using the Likert scale. Counts are presented as descriptive statistics. Statistical analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests. We collected 243 fully completed surveys from providers in all continents with high representation of the United States (76%), providers who identified as women (71.6%), and neurologists with children (91%) among respondents. A majority worked remotely (28% fully, 43% mix). Neurologists reported decreased academic productivity (72%), work benefits (65%), and time for writing (48%). These findings were more prominent in respondents with children and among women practicing outside of the United States. Increased pressure from productivity expectations and lack of time for family were reported by 47% and 41% of respondents, respectively. The disruption from the COVID-19 pandemic affected academic productivity and decreased the well-being of neurologists in general and of neurologists with children more drastically. This could potentially hinder the promotion and retention of junior neurologists who were juggling life and work during the pandemic outbreak and its recurrent surges.

Intergenerational care support transfer: insights from the generation and gender survey

Understanding intergenerational transfers of childcare is crucial in the context of declining birth rates, changing family structures, and population aging. Informal assistance in childcare is highly significant for many families with young children as it helps them balance their professional and parenting responsibilities. Existing research indicates that support provided by parents to their adult children in childcare positively impacts decisions regarding childbirth and women's participation in the labor market. The aim of this study is to analyze patterns of support transfer between different generations and identify factors influencing intergenerational transfers in Moldova. It is based on data from the "Generations and Gender" (GGS) study conducted in 2020. Thanks to its representative sample, the study encompasses aspects such as intergenerational transfers related to childcare and grandchildren, attitudes toward childcare, and socio-demographic variables. Statistical analysis involves cross-tabulations and logistic regressions to identify factors determining participation/transmission of support in childcare. The research findings demonstrate that grandparents provide significant assistance to their adult children in childcare, particularly during the initial years of the child's life. This support is predominantly received by women with young children and women with higher education with children. Typically, childcare assistance is offered by grandparents approaching pre-retirement and retirement ages. Factors such as children's ages, family size, level of education, and urban residence significantly influence the receipt of childcare assistance. The results underscore the importance of traditional values and societal expectations, providing a nuanced understanding of intergenerational relationships amidst a changing demographic landscape. They could prove valuable for policymakers and developers of programs supporting families with children.

Supporting childcare professionals in approaching multilingualism: insights from a collaborative process for professional development

Supporting childcare professionals in approaching multilingualism: insights from a collaborative process for professional development

Re-Examining the Cognitive Scale of the Developmental Support in Childcare

The Cognitive Scale of the Development Support in Childcare (CSDSC) developed in 2023 has adequate reliability and validity. However, it has some limitations in terms of its factor structure. Thus, we re-examined the structural factors, reliability, and validity of the scale using the same data (513 valid responses) as in the original study. In contrast to the two-factor model of the original scale, the revised scale has a one-factor structure. The scale’s Cronbach’s α value was 0.83. A confirmatory factor analysis used to assess whether a one- or two-factor structure was more appropriate for the scale demonstrated that the one-factor model was a better fit, and the revised scale had a higher degree of validity than the original one. The results indicate that the revised and shortened CSDSC has sufficiently high levels of reliability and validity, suggesting that the scale is appropriate for evaluating nursery teachers’ values regarding child development support in childcare.

The pathway from grandparental support with childcare in the early years to child socioemotional outcomes in middle childhood: evidence from the Millennium Cohort Study

ABSTRACT We examined the pathway from grandparental childcare support at age 3 to child social and emotional outcomes at age 7 through maternal mental health and mother–child relationship at age 3 in a sample of n = 1495 biological mothers and their children from the UK's Millennium Cohort Study. Structural equation modelling showed that time spent in the care of grandparents at age 3 was not associated with the child's social and emotional outcomes at age 7 via maternal psychological distress or mother–child conflict and mother–child closeness. Maternal psychological distress at age 3 was associated with poor child social and emotional outcomes at age 7 both directly and indirectly via mother–child conflict and mother–child closeness. In the early years, grandparental childcare, as primary form of childcare arrangement, may not be significantly associated with maternal mental wellbeing or parenting capacity, which are both beneficial for child socioemotional development.

Working mothers in Greece during the COVID-19 pandemic: The conceptualization of “good motherhood” in conditions of lock-down and teleworking

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in Greece in March 2020 caused many changes in daily life. Mothers’ duties increased dramatically during the pandemic, as external childcare support was practically non-existent. Working mothers had to manage their different roles and identities at the same time, with teleworking becoming mandatory. This article aims to understand how contemporary working mothers in Greece conceptualize “good motherhood”, taking into consideration the particularities of the pandemic. Eight working mothers with children between the ages of 3 and 18 from various parts of Greece responded to a public invitation posted on a popular social media platform. They participated in a semi-structured online interview during which they were invited to talk about their experience of the lock-down in relation to their role as working mothers. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using the Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). A common theme that emerged from their stories was the experience of loss of control over their lives and possibly a loss of the multiple dimensions of their identity, which appeared to have been reduced to being just a mom. Gender and parenting ideologies present prior to the pandemic continue to affect working mothers’ experiences during the pandemic.

Education Select Committee Inquiry

In the last session of the Education Select Committee's inquiry into support for childcare and the early years, the Committee quizzed the Minister for Children, Families and Wellbeing, Claire Coutinho MP. Sue Cowley summarises the fifth and final oral evidence session.

일본 육아지원 주택 단지 인정 기준 분석 : 동경도(東京都) 육아지원 인정제도를 중심으로

일본 육아지원 주택 단지 인정 기준 분석 : 동경도(東京都) 육아지원 인정제도를 중심으로

위기아동 보호를 위한 가정위탁제도의 활성화에 관한 연구

The home consignment system provides protection for children exposed to crisis for a certain period of time, and is a necessary system for children subject to crisis protection to live in foster homes for a certain period of time. The Ministry of Health and Welfare said that from June 22, 2022, children subject to protection can be extended to 25 years old (to 24 years old) at their will, allowing them to enter society after fully preparing for self-reliance. Until now, children living in child care facilities had difficulty living alone at an early age, regardless of the degree of self-reliance preparation, except in some exceptional cases (schools below university, vocational education and training), and at the age of 18. With this revision, if the self-reliance ability is insufficient during the extension of the protection period, it is possible to determine whether to terminate the protection measures by comprehensively determining one's intention and level of self-reliance preparation. However, consignment families still lack childcare support funds, supply and demand costs far from reality, and supply and demand management systems. It is not easily accessible to general families, such as strict management of related agencies, notification of the return of supervisory agencies to the original course, qualification of foster families, screening, and management issues. It has been almost 20 years since the home consignment system was established, but it is still a big homework for us. The United States goes through complex procedures and screening to become a foster family, but because there is no social consensus on the importance of family consignment, it provides various social services to foster families such as housekeeper dispatch services, day care, and psychological counseling. The number of protected children is increasing rapidly due to repeated child abuse, and the difficulties of children already living in facilities have long been discussed. It is urgent to protect children in crisis by revitalizing the foster family system suitable for our reality.