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Child Care as Early Intervention

The Infants’ Home Child & Family Services. Child Care as Early Intervention Does the research and practice wisdom really differ on dosage and frequency? Fact or myth?. The Infants’ Home ABN 71 174 918 661 www.theinfantshome.org.au. Wendy Foote Manager Child and Family Support Services

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Child Care as Early Intervention

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  1. The Infants’ Home Child & Family Services Child Care as Early Intervention Does the research and practice wisdom really differ on dosage and frequency? Fact or myth? The Infants’ Home ABN 71 174 918 661 www.theinfantshome.org.au

  2. Wendy Foote Manager Child and Family Support Services Co–authors Jennifer Evans CEO Lynn Farrell Manager Learning and Development Centres Background research: Social work student Norette Rene-Gougeon The Infants Home ABN 71 174 918 661 www.theinfantshome.org.au

  3. The Infants Home ABN 71 174 918 661 www.theinfantshome.org.au

  4. The Infants Home ABN 71 174 918 661 www.theinfantshome.org.au

  5. Structure of Paper • Introduction • What is EI in Children's Services? • What does the literature say about what makes a difference? Dosage/ frequency • Deciding about optimal levels of early childhood education in EI The Infants Home ABN 71 174 918 661 www.theinfantshome.org.au

  6. The Infants’ Home Child & Family Services 134 year history of providing child health, education and safety The Infants Home ABN 71 174 918 661 www.theinfantshome.org.au

  7. Current services mixMission achieved through • Mix of universal and targeted services • High quality early childhood education experience for children from 6 weeks of age until school entry - 176 centre based child care places per day; 250 families a week • Family Day Care to 140 children per week, from 6 weeks to 12 years • Services to 80 families with young children with additional needs who are experiencing vulnerable circumstances • 200 infants and families through intensive child & family health nursing service • Outreach and targeted play groups – 150 pa The Infants Home ABN 71 174 918 661 www.theinfantshome.org.au

  8. This service model is underpinned by a commitment to social inclusion - targeted services are situated within universal services that are anchored in the local community and networked to other health, education and welfare services. The Infants Home ABN 71 174 918 661 www.theinfantshome.org.au

  9. Core BusinessEarly intervention • High quality early childhood education and care for children is a platform for inclusion • Services to support children’s health, happiness and development • Family support The Infants Home ABN 71 174 918 661 www.theinfantshome.org.au

  10. Client group in the targeted services Families with Vulnerabilities • Disadvantaged families- social, environmental and parental factors. and • Children with additional needs NB: Includes client group eligible for DoCS Brighter Futures The Infants Home ABN 71 174 918 661 www.theinfantshome.org.au

  11. Early intervention dosage and frequency What is the optimal: Number of days/hours each day that we should provide child care as a form of early intervention? How do we calculate the number of days and how do we assess for it? The Infants Home ABN 71 174 918 661 www.theinfantshome.org.au

  12. Frequency and dosage • All programs ran for 5 days a week: • High/Scope Perry - 2.5 hours across 5 days over 30 weeks per year • Carolina Abecedarian Project – centres ran 7:30am to 5:30pm for 50 weeks across the year • Chicago Child-Parent Centre Program - half day for preschool children and full or half day for kindergarten children The Infants Home ABN 71 174 918 661 www.theinfantshome.org.au

  13. Other common characteristics • Home visiting or regular parent meeting with mum to model some learning • Low child to staff ratio • Appropriately qualified staff • Developmentally appropriate programs either child directed activities or individualised plans • Parental involvement The Infants Home ABN 71 174 918 661 www.theinfantshome.org.au

  14. Other considerations Distance from the research: • North American • Different time - in the 1960s – 70s • Social/family changes and differences in comparison to Australia The Infants Home ABN 71 174 918 661 www.theinfantshome.org.au

  15. Australian findings re High quality child care • Relationships/ Interactions • Group size/ Ratios • Educational programs • Health and safety • Family involvement/ Participation • Strong organizational structure / foundation (Llewellyn & Fante 1999) The Infants Home ABN 71 174 918 661 www.theinfantshome.org.au

  16. Attachment/Relationships • Ainsworth defines attachment as “…an affectional tie that one person or animal forms between himself and another specific one – a tie that binds them together in space and endures over time”. - Multiple attachment figures (in high quality child care) building of resilience and dosage, length of care and frequency The Infants Home ABN 71 174 918 661 www.theinfantshome.org.au

  17. Alternative view • Secure relationships…this is the domain of the family, not child care centres… • Cortisol studies /High quality child care The Infants Home ABN 71 174 918 661 www.theinfantshome.org.au

  18. Funding sources • FaHCSIA- limits around SCCB • JET- gaps at end of term • EI Brighter Futures - limited by FaHCSIA guidelines The Infants Home ABN 71 174 918 661 www.theinfantshome.org.au

  19. THE DECISION ABOUTDOSAGE AND FREQUENCY TIH assessment – • Child centred assessment – characteristics of the child • Parents/family need The Infants Home ABN 71 174 918 661 www.theinfantshome.org.au

  20. Best practice Assessment of child’s need not always = 2 days per week child care The Infants Home ABN 71 174 918 661 www.theinfantshome.org.au

  21. Best practice Each Child Every Opportunity The Infants Home ABN 71 174 918 661 www.theinfantshome.org.au

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