Quality of child care in the preschool years: A comparison of the influence of home care and day care characteristics on child outcome

Abstract

One hundred and six families of 2-year-old children, having experienced either family day care or centre-based day care, took part in this study. Parents’ and day care providers’ representations and values concerning their ideal definition of child care were assessed, and direct observations of child care settings conducted, using a time-sampling procedure. The instruments concerning both representations and observations have a seven dimension structure: caregiver availability, stimulation, firmness, warmth, autonomy, achievement, and organisation. When children were 3 years of age, the families were contacted again (16% drop out) for an evaluation of various outcomes: parental reports of child behaviour problems (CBCL) and egoresiliency (CCQ), assessments of child developmental quotient (McCarthy), and of attachment representations (ASCT). The day care variables (care providers’ representations and observed variables of the setting), unexpectedly explained the variance of the dependent variables (especially behaviour problems) more than the corresponding parental variables. These results contrast with other studies in the field. Apparently, they can be attributed to the relatively wide span of dimensions, as well as to the variety of child care settings considered. Non-parental and parental care had some selective effects on the different dependent variables. The effects of representations were globally stronger than those of observed characteristics. These data point to the importance of child care quality, emphasise the idea that quality is multidimensional, and stress the significance of caregivers’ representations and values.

Effects of home environment and center-based child care quality on children's language, communication, and literacy outcomes

“…However, similar to recent findings (e.g., Pierrehumbert et al, 2002;Sylva et al, 2008), we found the effects of preschool quality were as strong as those of the home environment quality.…”

Parents’ and teachers’ perceptions of quality in Portuguese childcare classrooms

“…A more detailed analysis at the ITERS-R item level allowed for the recognition that, besides items related to interactions and language, some items related to personal care routines (i.e., diapering/ toileting, safety practices, health practices) are also among the items most valued by parents and teachers. Several studies developed in Portugal and other countries (e.g., Folque 1995;Cryer and Burchinal 1997;Pierrehumbert et al 2002), following the same or different methodologies, have obtained similar results: interactions between teachers and children as well as healthrelated practices are highly valued by parents. Although all the ITERS-R items were considered important, sand and water play and promoting acceptance of diversity were among the items with lower mean scores for both parents and teachers.…”

“…The comparison between teachers and mothers established the following: (a) teachers tended to consider themselves more important for child development than mothers did; (b) teachers tended to show less directive and less academically oriented attitudes towards the education of children than mothers, placing more emphasis on social development; (c) teachers tended to place a higher value on tasks promoting children's development, while mothers placed a higher value on tasks related to social rules, health, and safety (ECCE Study Group 1997). In a study developed in Switzerland by Pierrehumbert et al (2002), parents' and daycare providers' perceptions were compared. The authors emphasized that childcare providers seemed to place a higher value on the "professional" aspects of care, such as the availability (i.e., being patient, available, competent, attentive) and organization (i.e., a safe and healthy environment and caregiver sensitiveness to child's physical well-being), while mothers placed a higher value on relational aspects of care, such as warmth (i.e., caregiver responsiveness and joyful, positive interactions).…”

Information asymmetries between parents and educators in German childcare institutions

“…Among the very few studies which analyze differences between parents and ECEC professionals, most look at differences in ideas and perceptions about ECEC quality (e.g. ECCE Study Group 1997; Pierrehumbert et al 2002;Weaven and Grace 2010;Harris and Tinning 2012). To our knowledge, there is only one study which focuses on reported quality levels and also considers the ECEC professionals' assessments.…”