Facts In Action

Recent research on the quality of child care settings has suggested that provider training and education is one of the factors associated with high-quality child care and better outcomes for children. (For example, see "Three Studies Find Quality Child Care Helps Kids," Facts in Action, March 2000.) While these studies provide evidence that program quality - including teacher training and education - have an influence on the development of children, they focus exclusively on center-based care. In fact, there is very little research on non-center-based child care settings, despite the fact that nationally 45.7% of children under age five are in in-home, relative, or family child care settings (Children's Defense Fund, Key Facts 1999 Edition).

Kith and Kin Care: care provided by non-relatives (kith) or by relatives (kin) in either their own homes or the child's home.

Of the few studies that do focus on family child care, several have found that training and education is related to the quality of care. Little is known, however, about the relationship between training and education and developmental outcomes for children in family child care settings. Despite this overall lack of evidence, based on the research done in center-based settings we can assume that training and education would have a similar impact on the quality of care and on the developmental outcomes of children in non-center based settings.

Although family child care and kith and kin care are very different, they share some common barriers to accessing meaningful training opportunities. Two recent studies showed that traditional models of recruitment and training do not work for these providers, and listed the barriers to training these providers face. .And This Helps Me How?: Family Child Care Providers Discuss Training and Child Care by Kith and Kin - Supporting Family, Friends, and Neighbors Caring for Children both report on some of the difficulties non-center-based providers face in seeking training, detail the limitations of traditional center-based models of recruitment and training, and provide strategies for making training more accessible and relevant to non-center-based providers.

The study described in .And This Helps Me How?: Family Child Care Providers Discuss Training is based on a series of interviews and focus groups with family child care providers, parents, and representatives from early care and education training programs and child care associations. Through these interviews and focus groups, the researchers gathered information on the benefits and challenges to providers in participating in training, as well as general information about the content and format of training activities.

Researchers identified four issues that were cited as common barriers or limitations to current approaches to training: availability, accessibility, lack of recognition, and relevance of content. Many providers said that training specific to family child care was not available to them. In addition, when trainings were offered, providers found it difficult to afford the cost, find the time, or find transportation to attend these trainings. Providers also said that training programs often failed to recognize prior training and, more specifically, informal training programs. Finally, providers said that the trainings offered were geared towards center-based care, and had little relevance to their work in family child care.

The researchers of the family child care study provide the following suggestions for improving training models for family child care providers:

• Training needs to be more accessible - distance, scheduling problems, and resources (both in terms of time and money) should be considered in planning training programs;

• Training needs to be more relevant to the work of family child care providers, and whenever possible, should link theory to practice;

• Training should take advantage of new technologies - providers cited the internet as a valuable resource in enabling distance-learning options;

• Training programs need to respect and recognize prior education and informal training.

The second study, Child Care by Kith and Kin - Supporting Family, Friends,and Neighbors Caring for Children, provides a summary of research and traditional policy approaches regarding kith and kin care, as well as a survey of innovative program strategies for outreach and training with kith and kin caregivers. The authors of this report found that there is very little specific research on kith and kin caregivers. The research that does exist finds that traditional models of kith and kin training, which often focus on encouraging caregivers to start family child care businesses, are not relevant or appropriate for many kith and kin caregivers. In addition, the study found that few, if any, policy efforts focus on kith and kin caregivers who are not receiving public subsidies.

The researchers of the kith and kin study also suggest several strategies for developing a more appropriate model for outreach and training for kith and kin caregivers, including:

• Using family support models, like home visits and support groups, to engage kith and kin;

• Using a community center as a hub for activities and networking site for kith and kin caregivers;

• Taking advantage of new technologies and new partners (such as cable-access television) for outreach and training;

• Bringing resources directly to kith and kin caregivers, such as mobile lending libraries; and,

• Reaching out to kith and kin caregivers as part of a statewide or community effort to improve the quality of all child care.

While there is currently little research evidence that training and education is related to the quality of care and developmental outcomes for children in non-center-based settings, it seems obvious that specific training in early care and education would be valuable to both family child care providers and kith and kin caregivers. These providers should be encouraged to seek training opportunities. However, it is essential that the trainings, programs, and policies that are available to them are sensitive to their experiences as non-center-based providers.

Action Steps

Encourage policy makers to support training and education programs that meet the needs of a variety of early education and care providers. If you or your agency provide training, make it provider-friendly. That is, hold trainings in the evenings, provide assistance with tuition, fees, and transportation, make trainings available via the internet, and ask local providers what topics they would find useful. If you are a provider, let your local training and education agencies know the types of trainings opportunities that would interest you.

Source:
".And This Helps Me How?: Family Child Care Providers Discuss Training," Andrew R. Taylor, Lee Dunster, and June Pollard, Early Childhood Research Quarterly, Volume 14, Number 3, 1999.

For more information:
look on-line at www.udel.edu/ecrq or email ecrq@udel.edu.Editor's Note: this url is no longer active.

Source:
"Child Care by Kith and Kin - Supporting Family, Friends, and Neighbors Caring for Children," Ann Collins and Barbara Carlson, Children and Welfare Reform: Issue Brief 5, National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP), Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health of Columbia University, September 1998.

For more information:
contact NCCP at (212) 304-7100 or by email at nccp@columbia.edu.

Facts in Action, August 2000