Partnership with families in early childhood education: Exploratory study

Murphy, Catherine; Matthews, Janet R.; Clayton, Olivia; Cann, Warren

doi:10.1177/1836939120979067

Cited by 16 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…Childcare settings are well-situated to support initiatives to assist parents from socioeconomically disadvantaged rural communities adopt such parenting practices. In Brazil, over 90% of children aged 5 years and under attend child care services [ 24 ] and early childhood educators are viewed as trusted sources of information about parenting [ 35 ]. To advance knowledge in this area and improve adherence to the 24-hour movement guidelines, future studies could conduct workshops with parents, educators, health professionals, and other relevant stakeholders and co-design prototype parenting interventions to increase physical activity, limit sedentary screen time, and improve sleep patterns in children aged 5 years and under.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adherence to 24-hour movement guidelines among rural Brazalian preschool children: associations with parenting practices

Goncalves

Byrne

Lira

et al. 2022

Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act

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Background: Young children residing in rural areas of low-and-middle income countries (LMICs) such as Brazil are at greater risk of obesity and related chronic health conditions. Yet, the extent to which rural preschool children from Brazil aged 3- to 6-years meet the World Health Organisation (WHO) 24-hour movement guidelines is unknown. Parents play a central role in the development of children’s movement behaviors with logistic support, co-participation, modelling, and setting rules and limits recognized as influential parenting practices. However, the bulk of parenting research has been conducted in families from high income countries (HICs) and little is known about the relationship between parenting practices and children’s movement behaviors in LMIC communities. Therefore, the aims of this study were two-fold: (1) report the proportion of preschool children from low-income families in rural Brazil meeting the WHO 24-hour movement guidelines; and (2) determine associations with theory-based parenting practices related to physical activity, screen time, and sleep. Methods: A representative sample of 324 families from a rural district in north-eastern Brazil completed a validated, culturally adapted interviewer-administered survey assessing child physical activity, screen time and sleep, and associated parenting practices. The proportion of children meeting the physical activity, screen time, and sleep recommendations and all combinations of these recommendations was calculated. Forward selection logistic regression was used to determine which parenting practices were associated with meeting the individual recommendations and the 24-hour movement guidelines. Results: Less than half of the children (47.5%) met the physical activity recommendation, 22% met the screen time recommendation, 62% met the sleep recommendation, with just over 10% meeting all three recommendations in the 24-h movement guidelines. Having fewer rules and restrictions around indoor and outdoor play, limiting, or monitoring screen time, and maintaining a consistent bedtime routine were key parenting practices associated with children´s adherence to the 24-hour movement guidelines. Conclusion: Only 1 in 10 rural Brazilian preschool children meet the 24-hour movement guidelines. These findings underscore the need for family-based interventions targeting parenting practices to support healthful movement behaviors in young children from LMICs.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adherence to 24-hour movement guidelines among rural Brazalian preschool children: associations with parenting practices

Goncalves

Byrne

Lira

et al. 2022

Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Early childhood educators also differ from schoolteachers in that they provide care and education to children through play-based experiences driven by the child's interests, child-centred activities that are adapted to the needs of the child, and collaborate more closely with parents and caregivers of children in their care. Research has found that educators working in preschools tend to have more regular contact with parents and caregivers of young children compared to schoolteachers (Murphy et al, 2021;Rimm-Kaufman & Pianta, 2005). The different roles and ethos of early childhood educators compared to schoolteachers may result in different experiences, needs, and challenges of these educators when managing childhood trauma and dynamics with parents compared to teachers in primary and secondary schools.…”

Section: Education Professionals Trauma Training and Knowledgementioning

confidence: 99%

Early Childhood Professionals’ Perspectives on Dealing with Trauma of Children

Berger

O’Donohue

et al. 2022

School Mental Health

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Childhood trauma is a significant concern in Australia and internationally. Professionals working in the early childhood education sector (i.e., providing early childhood education and care to infants, toddlers, and children from birth to age eight) are positioned to provide valuable support for children affected by trauma. However, there is less research on early childhood professionals’ perspectives and experiences of supporting trauma-exposed children compared to other education professionals (e.g., primary and secondary school teachers). This study explored early childhood professionals’ perspectives and experiences in relation to supporting children exposed to trauma. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 early childhood professionals in Victoria, Australia, and data were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings illustrate that while educators develop valuable skills and experience growth from supporting trauma-exposed children and their families, they also experience emotional distress and challenges. Educators noted that there are limited professional development opportunities to learn about childhood trauma, and limited access to qualified and knowledgeable staff who can help them when supporting these learners. Implications from this study emphasise the importance of designing and delivering trauma-based professional learning opportunities and policies for early childhood educators.

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“…Further research exploring effective approaches for educators to build relationships with families who lack either the access or capacity to engage in digital forms of engagement is much needed, given the rise in the use of digital platforms in ECEC settings. While educators may feel knowledgeable regarding how to work with families, a major challenge lies in converting their knowledge into practice to improve partnerships with families (Murphy et al, 2021 ). Professional learning for educators that focuses on building effective, collaborative family partnerships and supporting the home learning environment should also be a priority.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…digital platforms in ECEC settings. While educators may feel knowledgeable regarding how to work with families, a major challenge lies in converting their knowledge into practice to improve partnerships with families (Murphy et al, 2021). Professional learning for educators that focuses on building effective, collaborative family partnerships and supporting the home learning environment should also be a priority.…”

Section: Limitations and Future Directionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While the importance of building strong family-educator partnerships is clearly articulated in research and policy documents, recent evidence suggests that Australian educators may require increased support and training to improve their skills and confidence in working with families (Murphy et al, 2021 ). Gaining a better understanding of parents’ perspectives of engagement with ECEC and what they view as facilitating factors and barriers to engagement, may inform improvements to family engagement practices, thereby enhancing family–ECEC relationships, and supporting children’s learning and development across home and ECEC settings (Vuorinen, 2021 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Parents’ Perspectives of Family Engagement with Early Childhood Education and Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Levickis

Murray

Lee-Pang

et al. 2022

Early Childhood Educ J

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The COVID-19 pandemic has created significant challenges for Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services and families, impacting family access to services and their communication and engagement with educators. This study aimed to examine parents’ perspectives of family engagement with ECEC services during the pandemic. Primary caregivers in Victoria at the time of recruitment (September–November 2020) were invited to participate. Of the 66 participants who completed an online survey, 25 also took part in semi-structured video call or phone interviews; qualitative findings from these interviews are reported in this paper. Four key themes were conceptualised using a reflexive thematic approach: (1) disruptions to ECEC access and attendance impacting on family routines and relationships, and child development; (2) barriers to family engagement; (3) ECEC educators’ support of families and children during the pandemic; and (4) increased parental appreciation of the ECEC profession. Findings revealed that disruptions to ECEC access and routines during the pandemic adversely impacted family engagement, and child learning and social-emotional wellbeing for some families. These were aggravated by other stressors, including increased parental responsibilities in the home, financial and health concerns, and changed work conditions. Findings also demonstrated successful methods used by educators to maintain communication and connections with families. Importantly, parents expressed increasing appreciation of the profession and an increased awareness of the value of family involvement in children’s learning. Learnings regarding strategies for effective and alternative ways of engaging families are discussed.

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Partnership with families in early childhood education: Exploratory study

Cited by 16 publications

References 21 publications

Adherence to 24-hour movement guidelines among rural Brazalian preschool children: associations with parenting practices

Adherence to 24-hour movement guidelines among rural Brazalian preschool children: associations with parenting practices

Early Childhood Professionals’ Perspectives on Dealing with Trauma of Children

Parents’ Perspectives of Family Engagement with Early Childhood Education and Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic

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