Center-Based Evening Child Care: Implications for Young Children's Development

With increasing numbers of women joining the evening/nighttime workforce, there is a need for quality childcare during these hours. This project, conducted in Japan, sought to compare the effects of child day care, child evening care, and child night care on the development and adaptation of young children. Caregivers completed a survey on the childrearing environment at home, their feelings of self-efficacy, and the presence of support for childcare. Childcare professionals evaluated the development of children. The results of the discriminant analysis indicate that factors in the home environment, not type of center-based care, explained developmental variance.     

Children with Severe Behavior Problems: A Survey of Texas Child Care Centers' Responses

This article presents the findings of an exploratory study designed to look at the issue of removal of children from childcare due to behavior problems. A survey was sent to a random sample of nonresidential licensed day care centers (DCCs) in Texas. Results from the survey indicate that 50% of DCCs have removed a child from care due to behavior problems. In most cases, parents were left to figure out for themselves what to do with their children following their dismissal from care. This and other relationships found in the data are discussed as well as the need for future research in this area.     

A Study of Child Rearing Practices Amongst Selected,Sudanese Families in South Australia: Implications for Child Care Service Selection

Child care services in Australia, for example, are largely defined and shaped by the historically dominant Anglo-Australian discourse and norms. The aim of this research was to examine critically and to find meaning in the experiences of recently arrived Sudanese families as they began to settle into their new cultural environment. The cultural values of some 30 Sudanese families were investigated and related to how these affected the selection of child care services. Qualitative research methods including an indigenous approach were used to gather data. Interactions with Sudanese families took place in their home environments. Interviews were conducted in a way that put those people interviewed at ease. Techniques used included narrative interviewing and vignettes.     

Corporate-Sponsored Child Care: Benefits for Children, Families, and Employers

As more women enter the workforce, businesses are beginning to devise methods to assist employees with their child care needs. Research has demonstrated the benefits of corporate child care arrangements, not only for the employer but also for employees. Some companies utilize early childhood accreditation as a means of establishing quality caregiving. Yet, almost no research has been conducted to determine how corporate sponsored child care, accredited or not, affects the children involved. Many questions beg to be answered before it is known what the benefits of corporate-sponsored child care are for young children.     

The Rights of Children and Young People in State Care

Abstract

This article highlights the lack of human rights recognition for arguably one of the most vulnerable groups in our society, children and young people in the care of the state. Currently under New Zealand legislation and policy frameworks these children do not have their rights upheld, as per New Zealand’s obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). This is particularly important for the care and protection of children needing state care as the government has the responsibility as a state body to ensure their rights are upheld, alongside their direct responsibilities as the ‘corporate parent’. This article explores the vulnerability of this group and the ways in which their rights under UNCRC are not being met by current legislation and policy. It goes on to recommend changes to the way in which we approach legislative and policy development.     

Young Children's Exposure to Mathematics: The Child Care Context

Four preschool teachers from two preschool settings were observed to explore the contribution of child care experiences on the development of young children's understanding of mathematics. Teachers were also interviewed regarding their attitudes and beliefs about the importance of early education, children's understanding of mathematics prior to formal schooling, and their role in facilitating mathematical knowledge. Although the programs and teachers differed in terms of program orientation, teaching style, student participation, and interactions with students, the programs did not differ in terms of the amount or content of mathematics presented to children. During the classroom observations that were conducted, very little mathematics was presented in any of the classrooms either directly or indirectly to students. In contrast, teachers said that they believed that mathematics was important and that they engaged in mathematical discussions in their classroom interactions. Discussion of the lack of math presented in the classroom and the discrepancy of teachers' beliefs and teaching behaviors are discussed.     

性侵害受害儿童的评估研究进展

文章从司法评估与临床评估两个方面对性侵害受害儿童的评估研究进展情况进行了归纳和总结,在此基础上进一步指出以往研究中存在的一些不足。最后,作者对该领域的研究趋向做出了展望。     

美国托幼机构教育质量研究述评

自20世纪60年代以来,美国托幼机构教育质量研究在民众追求教育的公平、效果和效率的动力推动下,从对一般性的"托幼机构教育是否利于儿童发展"问题的分析,逐渐深入、具体为对"怎样的托幼机构教育更有利于儿童发展"和"如何提供高质量的托幼机构教育"等问题的探究;研究范式从条件-结果模式逐渐转向生态模式,研究设计从考察短期效果的简单横断研究转向分析长期效果的复杂的长期追踪研究.     

Relationship-Focused Child Care Practices: Quality of Care and Child Outcomes for Children in Poverty

Research Findings: Child care delivery practices promoting continuous, primary caregiver-child relationships (relationship-focused child care) were evaluated for 223 preschool-age children (45% African American, 55% Latino) attending child care centers serving low-income children. Both relationship-focused and non-relationship-focused centers were accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Children in relationship-focused programs received more sensitive, involved, and affectionate caregiving and were more engaged with their caregivers than children in comparison centers, but some differences were greater for African American children. Outcomes associated with relationship-focused care included greater parent-reported child compliance and closer parent-caregiver relations, but no consistent benefits for cognitive school readiness, receptive language, or child behavior problems were found. Follow-up assessments were completed 1 year later for 119 children who remained in their programs. Social and cognitive outcomes improved over time, but some changes were moderated by child race/ethnicity and center type. Over time, parents reported greater child compliance and caregivers reported better parent-caregiver relationships in relationship-focused programs. Practice or Policy: Some social benefits of continuous, primary caregivers were found, but children's cognitive competencies improved with sustained attendance at these accredited programs regardless of the relationship-focused practices.     

Relationship-Focused Child Care Practices: Quality of Care and Child Outcomes for Children in Poverty

Research Findings: Child care delivery practices promoting continuous, primary caregiver–child relationships (relationship-focused child care) were evaluated for 223 preschool-age children (45% African American, 55% Latino) attending child care centers serving low-income children. Both relationship-focused and non-relationship-focused centers were accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Children in relationship-focused programs received more sensitive, involved, and affectionate caregiving and were more engaged with their caregivers than children in comparison centers, but some differences were greater for African American children. Outcomes associated with relationship-focused care included greater parent-reported child compliance and closer parent–caregiver relations, but no consistent benefits for cognitive school readiness, receptive language, or child behavior problems were found. Follow-up assessments were completed 1 year later for 119 children who remained in their programs. Social and cognitive outcomes improved over time, but some changes were moderated by child race/ethnicity and center type. Over time, parents reported greater child compliance and caregivers reported better parent–caregiver relationships in relationship-focused programs. Practice or Policy: Some social benefits of continuous, primary caregivers were found, but children's cognitive competencies improved with sustained attendance at these accredited programs regardless of the relationship-focused practices.     

Evaluation of Mental Health Consultation in Child Care Centers

Mental health professionals have speculated that their consultation services should improve the overall quality of a child care center, but few research studies have shown this effect in child care settings. In the present study, mental health consultation services were provided by four agencies to 25 urban child care centers to enhance children's emotional lives and social abilities, and to strengthen child care center staff's capacity to work with children who have difficult behaviors. A one-year evaluation was conducted to assess the impact of the mental health services on the teachers and child care centers using observational measures, director- and teacher-completed questionnaires, and qualitative focus group data. Centers with more than one year of consultation showed increases in overall quality, teachers' self-efficacy, and teachers' competence. In addition, staff expressed satisfaction with the mental health consultation services provided. Implications of findings and suggestions for future interventions are discussed.     

当前幼儿读物存在的问题及原因分析——以呼和浩特、乌兰察布市为例

幼儿读物是幼儿认识世界的重要媒介之一,幼儿读物对幼儿的发展有着不可替代的影响作用。笔者通过访谈、观察呼和浩特、乌兰察布市的一些图书市场,以及对幼儿家长的调查问卷,发现当前幼儿读物存在以下问题：幼儿读物的种类多但质量参差不齐;主题过于单一而缺乏创意;内容繁杂而良莠不齐;题材多外国经典而少本土原创;形式多样但安排不当;多媒体电子读物对幼儿图书阅读形成一定的冲击。     

Use of Color in Child Care Environments: Application of Color for Wayfinding and Space Definition in Alabama Child Care Environments

Color is a useful design element for wayfinding, spatial orientation, and space definition in children's environments. The study reported here compares the use of color in physical design features associated with the exterior design and interior design of child care centers (N = 101) located in Alabama. Color was evidenced on the exterior of the centers at just over half of the sample. The interior environments of the child care facilities had warm colors and bright accents in the setting; however, the majority of centers used only white, off-white, or gray on the walls.     

Sense of Place in Child Care Environments

The exterior design of existing preschool environments is evaluated in the context of contemporary writings by architects focusing on creating designs that nurture children’s emotions. Sense of place research is discussed in relation to young children’s experiences. Findings reveal that the majority of sites included in the study incorporated many physical design elements that create a sense of place for children in preschool environments, including small-scale structures, windows, landscaping, natural wall materials, and thresholds. Recommendations for administrators and directors planning and designing a new or remodeled preschool environment include incorporating features that reflect home-like environments with windows, thresholds, and landscaping.     

宋代保育巫法述略

宋代婴幼儿的早夭现象十分突出,围绕新生儿的保育,从洗浴著衣到疾病处治多少带有巫术的色彩,反映出生命之始便有一套繁缛的信仰与仪式。     

How Stake Holder Groups Define Quality in Child Care

This paper presents definitions of child care quality from focus groups conducted to develop a research design to assess the quality of Minnesota's regulated child care system. Eleven individual interviews and 38 focus groups involving 333 people were held in communities throughout Minnesota between 1-11-00 and 6-14-00. The focus groups represented the various stake holders interested in child care quality including parents, legislators, child care staff and administrators, licensed and unlicensed family child care providers, family and center based child care licensors, child care resource and referral staff, and teacher educators. Beginning first with the traditional definition of child care quality (what is good for the child) and related quality indicators, the author presents Katz's (Multiple perspectives on the quality of early childhood programs) four dimensional definition of child care quality and the associated research investigating these dimensions. The similarities and differences in various stake holder groups' definitions of child care quality are then presented and compared with Love, Schocket, & Meckstroth's review of child care research. The paper ends with a discussion how stake holders' definitions of child care quality may inform researchers and policymakers about child care quality.     

The Impact of Child Care on Gender Role Development and Gender Stereotypes

Research has shown that gender role development is socially constructed and learned from birth. In this study, the impact of child care and the interactions that take place there are examined, with a focus on gender behavior and stereotypes. Observation data and analysis are presented. Themes representing gender stereotypes and the breaking of gender barriers are examined, and the role that caregivers can play in the fostering of gender-fair behaviors is discussed.     

Rights of the Child and Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe

‘Securing the rights articulated in the Convention is an effective approach to improving the quality of early experiences.’ 1 1 Early Childhood Rights Indicators, A guide for Monitoring the Convention on the Rights of the Child, http://earlylearning.ubc.ca/media/uploads/documents/internationalresearchbriefjan2012.pdf , p2
This article analyses early childhood education and care and child rights in early childhood and their relationship in the European Union. Both are primarily national competencies. The EU has limited access and tools to influence policies and practices, while there are many ways in which indirect interventions are not only possible, but greatly used, often in areas that do not seem to be closely related to the issues discussed here. Yet there is a strong desire and interest of the different EU institutions to encourage and support Member States to implement both ECEC targets and child rights. In this article, we show that, while ECEC has become an essential part of different policies at EU level, there have been efforts to implement and mainstream child rights, with special attention paid to specific dimensions in relation to early childhood policies and practices, but a child rights based approach is missing.     

幼儿园园本课程研究综述——基于期刊网范畴

现有的关于幼儿园园本课程的研究成果比较丰富,论述范围较广,有关于园本课程理论的探讨,有具体的根据当地实际的课程开发与实施,也有根据不同的领域进行园本课程的研究等。此外,有的侧重于幼儿教师作用的发挥,有的从管理的角度进行分析,有的着重探讨课程资源的利用,还有的关注家园合作等等。无论是体现自身特色,还是融入本土文化,最终都需要通过园本课程的开发和实施来加以实现。     

The Use of Video Games by Kindergartners in a Family Child Care Setting

In this interpretive study of children’s social interactions in a family child care setting, children were seen to spend a significant portion of their time playing, watching others play, and distracted by video games. When children were focused on video games, their interactions with one another were disjointed, rushed, and ineffective. Because children’s interactions are considered to be important learning opportunities, the prevalence of video games in child care settings and the implications of their use should be studied more closely.