The effects of maternal employment and non‐maternal infant care on development at two and four years

Abstract

Differences in maternal employment during children's first year of life and children's entry into non-maternal care before the age of 1 year failed to predict differences in cognitive and socioemotional development at 2 and 4 years of age, after family background variables were controlled. Two samples were studied: a population sample of 1100 Bermudian children and a smaller subsample of children most of whom were determined to be at risk for developmental problems. To assess the effects of maternal employment, we compared infants with mothers who worked 20 or more hours a week to infants with mothers who worked less than 20 hours a week. To assess the effects of entry into non-maternal care before the age of one, we compared infants who were placed in regular non-maternal care before the age of one versus infants who did not experience regular non-maternal care before the age of one. The results revealed that family background variables frequently predicted many child outcome measures in both the total sample and the smaller research sample. After controlling for family characteristics, no differences were found between children whose mothers worked 20 or more hours a week when they were infants and children with mothers who worked less than 20 hours a week in either sample. In addition, age of entry into non-maternal care before the age of one did not significantly predict any child outcome measures.

Instructional Leadership and Its Effect on Students’ Academic Performance

“…The psychological stressors levied on students is account for their low academic performance [84,85], and it is the teachers, particularly the principals, who are held accountable for the dismal performance of pupils. While academic performance is influenced by social milieu and psychological issues [86][87][88][89][90]; the teachers' motivation and expectation [91,92] as well as the principals input are among many factors that influence academic performance of pupils. Yet the principal is held accountable for the students' successes and failures.…”

Emanuel Miller Lecture Developmental Risks (Still) Associated with Early Child Care

“…Not all recent research finds such seemingly adverse effects of care in the first year and\or lots of time spent in care across multiple years, including the first year (Balleyguier & Melhuish, 1996 ;Hegeland & Rix, 1990 ;Pierrehumbert, Ramstein, Karmaniola, & Halfon, 1996 ;Scarr & Thompson, 1994). Perhaps most noteworthy in this regard is work reported by McCartney and associates (1997) on 718 infants, toddlers, and preschoolers enrolled in 120 child-care centres in three states, Massachusetts, Virginia, and Georgia.…”

The Norwegian perspective on issues of quality in day care

“…Discussions about the possible positive or neutral effects of day care on infants' development are frequently reported (Clarke-Stewart, 1992;Melhuish & Moss, 1991;Scarr & Thompson, 1994). Since very few Norwegian infants attend day care before the age of one, a central issue is rather what kind of quality of care is found in the infants' home during the first year of living.…”