Do regulable features of child-care homes affect children’s development?

Data from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care were used to assess whether regulable features of child-care homes affect children’s development. Child-care homes selected were those in which there were at least two children and the care provider received payment for child care (ns=164 when the study children were 15 months old, 172 at 24 months, and 146 at 36 months). Caregivers who were better educated and had received more recent and higher levels of training provided richer learning environments and warmer and more sensitive caregiving. Caregivers who had more child-centered beliefs about how to handle children also provided higher quality caregiving and more stimulating homes. In addition, when settings were in compliance with recommended age-weighted group size cut-offs, caregivers provided more positive caregiving. Quality of care was not related to caregivers’ age, experience, professionalism, or mental health, or to the number of children enrolled in the child-care home or whether the caregivers’ children were present. Children with more educated and trained caregivers performed better on tests of cognitive and language development. Children who received higher quality care, in homes that were more stimulating, with caregivers who were more attentive, responsive, and emotionally supportive, did better on tests of language and cognitive development and also were rated as being more cooperative. These findings make a case for regulating caregivers’ education and training and for requiring that child-care homes not exceed the recommended age-weighted group size.     

Caregiver Responsiveness During Preschool Supports Cooperation in Kindergarten: Moderation by Children’s Early Compliance

Research Findings: The current study examined how children’s parent-reported compliance at age 3 (36 months) moderated the effects of 2 dimensions of directly observed early care and education (ECE) process quality (positivity/responsivity and cognitive stimulation) during the prekindergarten year (54 months) on teacher reports of children’s classroom cooperation in the fall of kindergarten. Compliance at 36 months and cooperation in kindergarten are operationalized as overt, behavioral aspects of self-regulation as appraised by parents and teachers. The sample consisted of 996 children from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development who attended formal or informal ECE settings during the prekindergarten year. Results indicated that children with low compliance at age 3 tend to demonstrate stronger cooperation skills by kindergarten when they experience more positivity/responsivity from their ECE caregivers. Main effects of positivity/responsivity and cognitive stimulation on classroom cooperation were not detected for the overall sample. Practice or Policy: The discussion addresses the importance of preparing and empowering ECE providers to help young children who enter the preschool period struggling with behavioral aspects of self-regulation, such as compliance, to improve these skills through positive and responsive caregiving.     

Does amount of time spent in child care predict socioemotional adjustment during the transition to kindergarten?

To examine relations between time in nonmaternal care through the first 4.5 years of life and children's socioemotional adjustment, data on social competence and problem behavior were examined when children participating in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Study of Early Child Care were 4.5 years of age and when in kindergarten. The more time children spent in any of a variety of nonmaternal care arrangements across the first 4.5 years of life, the more externalizing problems and conflict with adults they manifested at 54 months of age and in kindergarten, as reported by mothers, caregivers, and teachers. These effects remained, for the most part, even when quality, type, and instability of child care were controlled, and when maternal sensitivity and other family background factors were taken into account. The magnitude of quantity of care effects were modest and smaller than those of maternal sensitivity and indicators of family socioeconomic status, though typically greater than those of other features of child care, maternal depression, and infant temperament. There was no apparent threshold for quantity effects. More time in care not only predicted problem behavior measured on a continuous scale in a dose-response pattern but also predicted at-risk (though not clinical) levels of problem behavior, as well as assertiveness, disobedience, and aggression.     

Child Care and Children's Peer Interaction at 24 and 36 Months: The NICHD Study of Early Child Care

Data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care were examined to determine how children's experiences in child care were related to peer competence at 24 and 36 months of age, after controlling for the effects of family and child characteristics. Peer competence was assessed using mother and caregiver ratings as well as observations of children with their peers in child care, and at 36 months from observations of dyadic play with a familiar peer. Consistent, albeit modest, relations were found between child-care experiences in the first 3 years of life and children's peer competencies. Positive, responsive caregiver behavior was the feature of child care most consistently associated with positive, skilled peer interaction in child care. Children with more experience in child-care settings with other children present were observed to be more positive and skilled in their peer play in child care, although their caregivers rated them as more negative with playmates. Children who spent more hours in child care were rated by their caregivers as more negative in peer play, but their observed peer play was not related to the quantity of care. Child-care experiences were not associated with peer competence as rated by mothers or as observed in dyadic play with a friend. Maternal sensitivity and children's cognitive and language competence predicted peer competence across all settings and informants, suggesting that family and child-care contexts may play different, but complementary roles in the development of early emerging individual differences in peer interaction.     

A randomized controlled trial of Child FIRST: a comprehensive home-based intervention translating research into early childhood practice

This randomized, controlled trial was designed to document the effectiveness of Child FIRST (Child and Family Interagency, Resource, Support, and Training), a home-based, psychotherapeutic, parent-child intervention embedded in a system of care. Multirisk urban mothers and children, ages 6-36 months (N = 157) participated. At the 12-month follow-up, Child FIRST children had improved language (odds ratio [OR] = 4.4) and externalizing symptoms (OR= 4.7) compared to Usual Care children. Child FIRST mothers had less parenting stress at the 6-month follow-up (OR = 3.0), lower psychopathology symptoms at 12-month follow-up (OR = 4.0), and less protective service involvement at 3 years postbaseline (OR = 2.1) relative to Usual Care mothers. Intervention families accessed 91% of wanted services relative to 33% among Usual Care. Thus, Child FIRST is effective with multirisk families raising young children across multiple child and parent outcomes.     

Family child care in four Midwestern states: Multiple measures of quality and relations to outcomes by licensed status and subsidy program participation

Quality of family child care in four Midwestern states was examined using four measures designed to assess structural and/or process quality to determine if dimensions converge or vary across types of family child care (licensed and license-exempt/registered) and subsidy receipt (programs serving children whose care is paid by subsidies and programs not serving subsidized children). Two instruments designed specifically for use with family child care that measure both structural and process quality were used (Family Day Care Rating Scale and Quality Instrument for Informal Child Care), as well as one instrument measuring process quality (Caregiver Interaction Scale) and one instrument measuring structural quality (Midwest Child Care Assets Index). The two instruments designed to measure both structural and process quality in family child care were highly correlated with each other, while both of these were moderately correlated with the measure of process quality. The measure of structural quality was not significantly correlated with the measure of process quality. Licensed family child care homes scored higher than license-exempt/registered family child care homes on three of the four measures (all but the Caregiver Interaction Scale), and family child care homes receiving child care subsidies scored lower than those not receiving subsidies on three of the four measures (all but the Assets Index).     

Multiple determinants of caregiver behavior in child care centers

In this study of the multiple determinants of professional caregiving, 237 caregivers (age range: 18–56 years) from 64 Dutch child care centers were extensively observed during their interactions with the children (0–4 years) in their usual care group. The choice of potential determinants of the caregiving quality was guided by Belsky's [Belsky, J. (1984). The determinants of parenting: A process model. Child Development, 55, 83–96] model of the determinants of parenting. Consistent with Belsky's model, quality of caregiving was found to be multiply determined by characteristics of the caregiver, the children and the caregiving context. More specifically, lower-quality care was provided by younger caregivers, to younger children, and by caregivers reporting higher physical occupational workloads. The differences between the participating child care centers proved to explain more variance in the quality of professional caregiving than the differences between the individual caregivers.     

Are child developmental outcomes related to before- and after-school care arrangements? Results from the NICHD study of early child care

Data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Study of Early Child Care, a prospective, longitudinal study involving 933 children, were used to examine relations between cumulative participation in 5 types of out-of-school care (before- and after-school programs, extracurricular activities, sitters, fathers, and nonadult care) and child developmental outcomes in the latter part of first grade (approximately age 7 years). Children who consistently participated in extracurricular activities during kindergarten and first grade obtained higher standardized test scores than children who did not consistently participate in these activities, controlling for child and family factors and children's prior functioning. Participation in other types of out-of-school care was not associated with child functioning in first grade when background factors were controlled.     

Change in Family Income-to-Needs Matters More for Children with Less

Hierarchical linear modeling was used to model the dynamics of family income-to-needs for participants of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care (N = 1,364) from the time that children were 1 through 36 months of age. Associations between change in income-to-needs and 36-month child outcomes (i.e., school readiness, receptive language, expressive language, positive social behavior, and behavior problems) were examined. Although change in income-to-needs proved to be of little importance for children from nonpoor families, it proved to be of great importance for children from poor families. For children in poverty, decreases in income-to-needs were associated with worse outcomes and increases were associated with better outcomes. In fact, when children from poor families experienced increases in income-to-needs that were at least 1 SD above the mean change for poor families, they displayed outcomes similar to their nonpoor peers. The practical importance and policy implications of these findings are discussed.     

Mothers’ Depressive Symptoms and Children’s Internalizing and Externalizing Behaviors: Examining Reciprocal Trait-State Effects from Age 2 to 15

Using a large sample from the National Institute of Child Health and Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (N = 1,178, 51% were male and 80% were White), the random intercept cross-lagged panel model was employed to unpack the trait and state aspects in the relations between mothers’ depressive symptoms and children’s behavioral problems from age 2 to 15. The transactional predictions among mothers’ depressive symptoms and children’s behavioral problems were largely attributed to their correlations at the underlying trait level (rs = .458–.528). At the state level, the mutual influences among mothers’ depressive symptoms and children’s behavior problems occurred more often during periods of transition. With that said, the child effects hypothesis was not supported.     

Risk factors for fatal and non-fatal child maltreatment in families previously investigated by CPS: A case-control study

The objective of this study was to identify individual, family and caregiver risk factors for serious child maltreatment, resulting in hospitalization or death, among children and families investigated by Child Protective Services (CPS). We conducted a matched case-control study of 234 children who sustained fatal or serious nonfatal maltreatment due to physical abuse or neglect and whose mother was named in a CPS investigation between 1999 and 2013. A total of 702 children and their caregivers were included in the study with 234 cases matched 2:1,resulting in 468 controls. Data on potential risk factors were abstracted from three county administrative databases. Differences between cases and controls were calculated and multivariable conditional logistic regression was used to estimate risk models. Variables associated with increased risk for serious maltreatment included male child gender,younger caregivers, three or more children under the age of 5 living in the home, families in which a biologic child was not living with either parent, and scoring moderate or high on the Structured Decision Making Risk Tool^®. Caregiver involvement in intimate partner violence (IPV) and child enrollment in public health insurance appears to mitigate the risk of serious maltreatment.     

Infant-toddler teachers can successfully employ authentic assessment: The Learning Through Relating system

This study documents the reliability and validity of a new infant-toddler authentic assessment, the Learning Through Relating Child Assets Record (LTR-CAR), and its feasibility of use by infant-toddler caregivers in an Early Head Start program. In a sample of 136 children, results indicated a strong internal structure of the LTR-CAR as evidenced by high internal consistency within age bands, expected performance in terms of the order of difficulty of items, and expected performance relative to the chronological ages of children. Moreover, the LTR-CAR accounted for a statistically significant amount of unique variance (between 6 and 26%), over and above age and gender, in six out of eight regressions predicting criterion measures. Given the increasing numbers of infants and toddlers in non-parental care, the need for authentic assessment as a tool to plan meaningful learning opportunities, as well as the lack of evidence-based authentic assessment options at the infant-toddler level, the LTR-CAR may provide a viable option for the field.     

Family day care: State of the art

While public emphasis in the past was on the development of center-based child care, many working parents today remain reluctant to put their infants and preschoolers into formal day care settings. Since the majority of these parents cannot afford to have full-time sitters come into their homes, neighborhood homes have sprung up in which someoneprefers to stay at home to care for the children of others, who can then go out to work. Thus, the growth of family day care.Mary Clurman is Program Coordinator for Apple Pie Family Day Care, Essex County, NJ, and Employee Child Care Consultant to Muhlenberg Hospital, Plainfield, NJ.     

Understanding humerus fractures in young children: Abuse or not abuse?

Fractures are the second most common abusive injury occurring in young children, particularly those under 2 years of age. The humerus is often affected. To better identify factors discriminating between abusive and non-abusive humerus fractures, this retrospective study examined the characteristics and mechanisms of injuries causing humerus fractures in children less than 18 months of age. Electronic medical records were reviewed for eligible patients evaluated between September 1, 2007 and January 1, 2012 at two children’s hospitals in Chicago, IL. The main outcome measures were the type of fracture and the etiology of the fracture (abuse vs not abuse). The 97 eligible patients had 100 humerus fractures. The most common fracture location was the distal humerus (65%) and the most common fracture type was supracondylar (48%). Child Protection Teams evaluated 44 patients (45%) and determined that 24 of those had 25 fractures caused by abuse (25% of the total study population).Among children with fractures determined to have been caused by abuse, the most common location was the distal humerus (50%) and the most common types were transverse and oblique (25% each); however, transverse and oblique fractures were also seen in patients whose injuries were determined to have been non-abusive. A younger age, non-ambulatory developmental stage, and the presence of additional injuries were significantly associated with abusive fractures. Caregivers did not provide a mechanism of injury for half of children with abusive fractures, whereas caregivers provided some explanation for all children with non-abusive fractures.     

ICDP approach to awareness-raising about children's rights and preventing violence, child abuse, and neglect

In April 2011, the Committee on the Rights of the Child issued the General Comment No. 13 on the right of the child to freedom from all forms of violence. Its Article 19 declares that "protective measures should, as appropriate, include effective procedures for the establishment of social programs to provide necessary support for the child and for those who have the care of the child." One available social program that focuses on providing support for parents, caregivers and children is the International Child Development Program (ICDP), which is presented in this article. The ICDP is designed to influence and improve the quality of contact and relation between the caregivers, usually parents, and children, through the practical application of the eight themes or guidelines for positive interaction. The Convention on the Rights of the Child is a value-based legal document ratified by most countries in the world. This is a significant achievement and it gives a new basis and legitimization for a more humane treatment of children all over the world. Nevertheless, it is important to understand that there is a big gap between a legal document describing ideal conditions for children at a macro-governmental level and its implementation at the microlevel of families and communities. The ICDP is another expression of the same humanitarian spirit as it is encoded in the convention of children' rights. ICDP can be put in practice in any community to create positive conditions for the fulfillment of fundamental children's rights: the right to be protected from violence and to receive the loving care and guidance from the immediate environment which is required to ensure healthy human development. Introducing children's rights is likely to have a major impact on families (and all levels of authorities) if efforts are also made to activate awareness and deeper bonding to children as persons. Without a deep activation of a more humanized and caring relationship to children, provided by social programs such as ICDP, the advocacy for children's rights may become an empty shell without its basis in human realities.     

Book reviews

Book reviewed in this article:
One Step at a Time RNIB
Understanding Mental Health Katherine Greensmith
Child Play: its importance for human development Peter Slade
Policy, Practice and Provision for Children with Specific Learning Difficulties Jill Duffield, Sheila Ridell and Sally Brown
Pastoral Care and Personal-Social Education: Entitlement and Provision Ron Best, Peter Lang, Caroline Lodge and Chris Watkins (eds)
Dear Psychiatrist …. Do Child Care Specialists Understand? Jennie Roberts
Climbing the Walls: Family Perspectives on Epilepsy
Going to Court Sheila Hollins with Valerie Sinason and Julie Boniface St George's Mental Health Library in association with VOICE (UK)
Choice, Opportunity and Learning: Educating children and young people who are physically disabled John Cornwall     

Developing a school-age network

One of the major concerns among administrators of School-Age Child Care Programs, is how to assist staff in the development of the specific competencies and skills which are needed when working with school-age children.     

The Effects of Infant Child Care on Infant-Mother Attachment Security: Results of the NICHD Study of Early Child Care NICHD Early Child Care Research Network

The aims of this investigation were to determine whether Strange Situation attachment classifications were equally valid for infants with and without extensive child-care experience in the first year of life and whether early Child Care experience, alone or in combination with mother/child factors, was associated with attachment security, and specifically with insecure-avoidant attachment. Participants were 1,153 infants and their mothers at the 10 sites of the NICHD Study of Early Child Care. Mother were interviewed, given questionnairies, and observed in play and in the home when their infants were from 1 to 15 months of age; infants were observed in child care at 6 and 15 months and in the Strange Situation at 15 months. Infants with extensive Child Care experience did not differ from infants without child-care in the distress they exhibited during separations from mother in the Strange situation or in the confidence with which trained coders assigned them attachment classifications. There were no significant main effects of Child Care experience (quality, amount, age of entry, stability, or type of care) on attachment security or avoidance. There were, however, significant man effects of maternal sensitivity and responsiveness. Significant interaction effects revealed that infants were less likely to be secure when low maternal sensitivity/responsiveness was combined with poor quality child care, more than minimal amounts of child care, or more than one care arrangement. In addition, boys experiencing many hours in care and girls in minimal amounts of care were somewhat less likely to be securely attachment.     

Fusing the boundaries between home and child care to support children's scientific learning

Parent involvement in early childhood education is highly valued by staff and families alike. However, limited research is available to guide professionals in how best to involve families in the early childhood programs developed for their children. This article reports on a study which investigated the impact of a science teaching and learning program on families of children attending an Australian Child Care Centre. Particular reference is made to the level of scientific support families gave to their children.     

Sensitive periods in the development of attachment and the age of entry into day care

This study investigated how the age of entry into regular group day care may influence, in the context of other relevant variables, some short-time outcomes of this experience. In particular the study focused on behaviours expressing well-being or discomfort in the day care environment during the third year. Subjects were 129 young children who were enrolled in group day care when they were 6–29 months old. During their third year their social behaviour was evaluated by caregivers with the Day Care Adaptation Scale. Researchers observed 54 of the children in reunion with their parents. The quality of care was rated with the ITERS scale. It was found that children who started day care in the intervals 6–12 months and 18–23 months displayed more frequently difficult reunions with their mothers, and were rated as less resistant to frustration. Children who started day care from 12–17 months showed lower relational distress. Some significant relationships were found between the ratings of ITERS and the Day Care Adaptation Scale. These findings are discussed with reference to theories of attachment.