Plotting a Course Towards High Quality Caregiver Interaction Shores… Oceans of Caring National Conference June 16 th , 2

1. Plotting a Course Towards High Quality Caregiver Interaction Shores… Oceans of Caring National Conference June 16th, 2007

2. Plotting a Course for High Quality Caregiver Interaction Shores… What is the Caregiver Interaction Scale? “A recognized, reliable tool that gathers information on the affective tone of a program for young children”.

3. Plotting a Course for High Quality Caregiver Interaction Shores… Information about the CIS Tool: • Scale has 23 Descriptors • 3 categories that measure “interaction” • 4 levels of ratings

4. Plotting a Course for High Quality Caregiver Interaction Shores… Sensitivity: “The extent to which the adult’s behaviour is warm, attentive, and engaged with the children”.

5. Plotting a Course for High Quality Caregiver Interaction Shores… Harshness: “The extent to which the adult sounds irritated, critical, or hostile when speaking with children or demonstrates threatening or punitive behaviour”…

6. Plotting a Course for High Quality Caregiver Interaction Shores… Detachment: “The extent to which the adult demonstrates low levels of interest in the children’s activities or behaviour such as simply standing watching the children rather than being engaged with them”.

7. Plotting a Course for High Quality Caregiver Interaction Shores… How has it been used to date? • You Bet I Care study • Licensing & monitoring • Professional growth & development

8. Plotting a Course for High Quality Caregiver Interaction Shores… What is the service by ARCQE Intended to do? • Address “interactions” rating in preparation for Accreditation • Assist in assessing overall quality of interactions. • Ease staff anxiety. • Provide feedback on practice.

9. Plotting a Course for High Quality Caregiver Interaction Shores… How does the service work? Premise of the service reflects practice & policy • Consistency between caregivers/providers • Consistency between rooms/dayhomes • Consistency between practice & policy • 3 Part Service providing individual & program level feedback • Individual Observations • Individual debrief sessions • Program level report on overall caregiver • interactions

10. Plotting a Course for High Quality Caregiver Interaction Shores… Overview of the findings: • 126 programs/agencies to date have completed this service • Have now observed 977 front line professionals across Alberta • 2931 hours have been logged in observation & debrief sessions

11. Plotting a Course for High Quality Caregiver Interaction Shores… What are the mean scores/averages relating to the 3 measurements of indicators and what do they suggest?

12. Plotting a Course for High Quality Caregiver Interaction Shores… SENSITIVITY INDICATORS Provincial case study samplings on 375 professionals- Very Much Quite a Bit Somewhat Not at All

13. Plotting a Course for High Quality Caregiver Interaction Shores… Indicators most frequently problematic relevant to Sensitivity? Most Challenging Descriptors: • Descriptor # 7: When the children misbehave, explains the reason for the rule they are breaking. (36% only achieve this descriptor consistently “very much of the time”) • Descriptor #16: Encourages children to exhibit pro-social behaviour (45% only achieve this descriptor “very much of the time”) Noteworthy Descriptors: • Descriptor #3: Listens attentively when children speak to him/her (56% achieve this descriptor consistently “very much of the time”) • Descriptor #8: Encourages the children to try new experiences (53% achieve this descriptor consistently “very much of the time”) • Descriptor #10: Seems enthusiastic about the children’s activities and efforts (59% achieve this descriptor consistently “very much of the time”)

14. Plotting a Course for High Quality Caregiver Interaction Shores… HARSHNESS INDICATORS Provincial case study samplings of 375 professionals- Not at All Somewhat Quite a Bit Very Much

15. Plotting a Course for High Quality Caregiver Interaction Shores… • Descriptor #4: Places high value on obedience (27% of overall rating) • Descriptor #19: Seems to prohibit many things children want to do (17% of overall rating) • Descriptor #21: Expects children to exercise developmentally inappropriate self-control (15% overall rating) Indicators most frequently problematic relevant to Harshness?

16. Plotting a Course for High Quality Caregiver Interaction Shores… DETACHMENT INDICATORS Provincial case study sampling on 375 professionals- Not at All Somewhat Quite a Bit Very Much

17. Plotting a Course for High Quality Caregiver Interaction Shores… • Descriptor #5: Seems distant or detached from the children (13% overall rating) • Descriptor # 12: Spends considerable time in activities not involving interactions with children (11% rating overall) • Descriptor # 20: Doesn’t supervise the children very closely (10% of overall rating) Indicators most frequently problematic relevant to Detachment?

18. Plotting a Course for High Quality Caregiver Interaction Shores… Common traps & pitfalls… • Misbeliefs about Infants… • Preoccupation with routines tasks • Intervention rather than interaction • Loss of playfulness/childhood imagination • Structured “free play” • Mandatory participation group activities (meals, circle time) • Wait times at transitions • Room arrangement • Lack of outdoor play programming • Static approach and/or habitual tendencies with respect to the work

19. Plotting a Course for High Quality Caregiver Interaction Shores… Limitations and Barriers… • Provides a “snapshot” of a much bigger picture… (pros/cons) • Staff turnover • Education & experience • Resistance to change

20. Plotting a Course for High Quality Caregiver Interaction Shores… Report Results… • Policy vs. practice surprises • Factors affecting practice between caregivers/providers • Agency consistency issues

21. Plotting a Course for High Quality Caregiver Interaction Shores… Affecting change… • Share/review the report • Post summary page in ALL rooms/day homes • Focus on specific indicators with intention • Share information about current best practice • Be intentional about fostering change • Make observation a regular practice • Educate/advocate best practice…

22. Plotting a Course for High Quality Caregiver Interaction Shores… Maintaining consistency & raising the bar on practice… (Internal) • Become familiar with indicators • Use internal review systems… • (External) • Annual “check ins” • Validate practice from a variety of • lens/perspectives…

23. Plotting a Course for High Quality Caregiver Interaction Shores… • I have not received this type of detailed feedback on practice since I was a student…” • “Having an outside opinion has been very eye-opening”. • “I have never realized before that my actions could be interpreted as “Detached” or “Harsh”... That’s rather frightening”. • “Having people who can come in to observe has really helped ease staff anxiety with monitoring or Accreditation site visits”. What are people saying? (Impact)