Alice Brown● Faculty of Education

1. The new frontier: A social ecological exploration of factors impacting on parental support for the active play of young children within the micro-environment of the family home Alice Brown● Faculty of Education University of Southern Queensland ● Springfield ● Queensland ●Australia INTRODUCTION METHODOLOGY • Intrinsic and instrumental case study provided an opportunity to gain a contextual understanding of the idiosyncratic experiences and motivations of three families with at least one child four years or under. • Qualitative data collection methods assisted with the ethical engagement of parents and included listening to the stories of participants using semi-structured interviews, observing their contexts and environments and critically reflecting on these data. • The ‘CHE’ concepts of Connectivity, Humanness and Empathy, were employed to help break down initial communication barriers as well as build connections, trust and clarity of expectations with participants. were employed for engaging with families. • The PMEM model that extended on social ecological theory was adopted to analyse and help shed light on how a combination of factors influenced their behaviours. “And so she forges towards the new frontier, although confident she steps tentatively for little does she know what is to become of her” (Brown, 2008 , p.152). Interventions and programs for improving the health of young children should involve family and parents, yet there is still a paucity of qualitative research that investigates the influence of parental values, practices and behaviours on active, physical play in young children. Till recently health and physical activity research has been trapped in a discourse dominated by positivists where measurable variables were used to define and understand phenomena of health. This research was motivated by the desire to understand active play environments supported within the home and explore the pervasive influence that multiple contexts exert on parents’ understandings of and practices for encouraging or constraining these environments. FINDINGS Three key research questions were formulated to guide this investigation. Question 1: How do parents support the active play experiences, and environments of their children (birth to four)? Question 2: How do multiple environments and social ecological factors influence parental behaviours, values and practices for supporting active play with their young children? Question 3: How do ecological factors influence the way that determinants are skewed to become barriers or enablers of parental support for active play experiences and environments? Findings expand on current understandings about the idiosyncratic nature of parents and families and highlight the pervasiveness of factors that impact on their efforts to support the active play experiences of young children. A range of factors that sit both inside and outside the micro-environment of the family home can skew determinants into becoming either a barrier or an enabler, depending on context. We can only truly understand individuals within these places by appreciating their context located within multiple environments and the wider social milieu. Future research endeavours should seek to better understand the experiences and perspectives of children and parents in this legitimate space. A yet untapped resource that in many respects could still be defined as the ‘New Frontier’. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK The Parental and Micro-Environmental Model (PMEM) nests the parent and child together within the micro-environment of the family home. This aids in better understanding parents and the range of factors that impact on the active play of the child. The model also considers the child being influenced by parents, family and the multiple environments, whilst also accounting for the impact that the child has on individuals and environments. Significant grants and associated research 2008 – $150,000 - Alice Brown (part of team with Chief Researcher Robert Eley). Investigating the stakeholders, opportunities and key entry points for increasing physical activity participation in rural communities in Queensland (HPQ 00.01/19) 2007 - $16,500 – Chief Researcher – Alice Brown, (Principal Investigator Malcolm Lewis from Queensland Health). South Burnett - Early movement and stimulation project. Funding Body: Graham House (Research Consultancy) Books: Landy, J., & Brown, A. (Landy, J., & Brown, A. (2010). Kids with more Zip: A wellness resource for educators and parents to develop active children ages 3-12. Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson Education ISBN 97814425229250.. Chapters in edited books Brown, A. (2008). Towards a new frontier in understanding the contextual influences on paediatric inactivity. In R. Henderson & P. A. Danaher (Eds.), Troubling terrains: Tactics for traversing and transforming contemporary educational research (pp. 149-168).Teneriffe, Qld: Post Pressed. Resources Brown, A. (2009). Connecting with Kids Cards. Resource developed to support active play and bonding opportunities with parents, primary carers and support staff, USQ. Brown, A. (2007). Infant Massage and Nappy Aerobics DVD. USQ. Conference Paper/Presentation Brown, A. (2011)- Connecting with kids: Parent and stakeholder understandings of and experiences with attachment and active play in rural contexts Annual Meeting of the International Society for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (ISBNPA) Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Australia on 15 – 18 June 2011. Brown, A., & Williams, J. (July 5, 2008). Freedom to move. Freedom to play. Freedom to learn. Paper presented at the Birth to Three Matters Conference, Griffith University, Brisbane, Qld. Brown, A. (Issue 61, 2008). Parents – The key to a child’s long term health and wellbeing. First Steps: Official magazine of Toddler KindyGymbaROO and Toddler KindyROO, 7-8.