THE EMERGING CRISIS

1. THE EMERGING CRISIS • FOR 3.6 MILLION YEARS INFANTS WERE CARED FOR BY MOTHERS OR CLOSE FAMILY MEMBERS • IN THE LAST 25 YEARS, THERE HAS BEEN A SHARP DROP IN CHILDCARE BY FAMILY MEMBERS • Many slides from web.

2. CHANGE IN CHILD REARING PATTERNS • IN 1999 60% OF MOTHERS OF INFANTS UNDER 1 YEAR WERE IN THE WORKFORCE. • MANY INFANTS SPEND THE BULK OF THEIR WAKING HOURS IN THE CARE OF NON-RELATIVES IN GROUP CHILD CARE SETTINGS

3. EARLY CARE IS NOT VALUED • HISTORICALLY DONE BY WOMEN AT NO COST • U.S. HAS NOT INVESTED ENOUGH TO SAFEGUARD OUR MOST PRESCIOUS RESOURCE—OUR CHILDREN • OUR NATION’S FUTURE IS AT RISK

4. MYTHS ABOUT EARLY CARE • “ITS JUST BABYSITTING” • “ANYONE CAN DO IT” • “JUST FEED THE BABY AND CHANGE ITS DIAPER” • “BABIES SLEEP MOST OF THE TIME” • “BABIES DON’T LEARN ANYWAY”

5. Child Care: Controversy NICHD study of early child care. 1,153 infants

6. Relations between child-care in first 3 years & peer competencies • Positive, responsive caregiver behavior most consistently associated with positive, skilled peer interaction in child care. • Children with more experience in child-care settings with other children present were observed to be more positive and skilled in their peer play in child care • although caregivers rated them more negative with playmates. • Children with more hours in child care rated by caregivers as more negative in peer play, but observed play not related to the quantity of care. • Child-care experiences were not associated with peer competence as rated by mothers or as observed in dyadic play with a friend.

7. Peer competence • Assessed with mother and caregiver ratings, observations in child care • Maternal sensitivity and children's cognitive and language competence predicted peer competence across all settings and informants, suggesting that family and child-care contexts may play different, but complementary roles in the development of early emerging individual differences in peer interaction. • NICHD ECCRN. Child Care and Children's Peer Interaction at 24 and 36 Months: The NICHD Study of Early Child Care. Child Development 2001;72(5):1478-1500.

8. References • http://www.nichd.nih.gov/about/od/secc/pubs.htm

9. Effects of child care on infant-mother attachment security • No significant main effects of child-care experience (amount, age entry, or type of care) on attachment security or avoidance. • Extensive vs, no child-care experience did not distinguish infant distress in separations from mother. • Significant main effects of maternal sensitivity and responsiveness. • Interaction: Infants less likely to be secure when low maternal sensitivity/responsiveness was combined with poor quality child care, more than minimal child care, or more than one care arrangement • . Child Development. 1997. 68(5) 860-879

10. Same at 36 months • Maternal sensitivity was the strongest predictor of preschool attachment classification. • No child-care factors (quantity, quality, or type) predicted, in and of themselves, attachment security at 36 months. • Interaction: When maternal sensitivity was low, more hours per week in care somewhat increased the risk of the insecure (C). • Significant but modest stability of attachment classifications from 15 to 36 months • especially for children with A and C classifications.

11. Before- and After-School Care Arrangements? • “A prospective, longitudinal study involving 933 children in the latter part of first grade…. • Children who consistently participated in extracurricular activities during kindergarten and first grade obtained higher standardized test scores • …controlling for child and family factors and children's prior functioning. • Participation in other types of out-of-school care was not associated with child functioning in first grade when background factors were controlled. • NICHD ECCRN. Are Child Developmental Outcomes Related to Before- and After-School Care Arrangements? Results From the NICHD Study of Early Child Care. Child Development 2004;75(1):280-295

12. DEVELOPMENTAL ISSUES • YOUNG INFANTS: SECURITY • MOBILE INFANTS: EXPLORATION • OLDER INFANTS: INDEPENDENCE

13. ATTACHMENT RESEARCH • ATTACHMENT IS THE MEASURE OF THE QUALITY OF A RELATIONSHIP FROM THE CHILD’S PERSPECTIVE

14. ATTACHMENT RESEARCH • ATTACHMENT RELATIONSHIPS FORM A HIERARCHY (PRIMARY, SECONDARY, ETC.) • INFANTS IN POOR QUALITY CARE TEND TO HAVE LESS SECURE ATTACHMENTS TO CAREGIVERS.

15. ATTACHMENT RESEARCH • A SECURE ATTACHMENT IS FORMED WHEN A CHILD IS IN A RELATIONSHIP OVER TIME WITH SOMEONE WH0 IS EMOTIONALLY AVAILABLE & SENSITIVE • INFANTS IN HIGH QUALITY CARE ARE MORE SECURELY ATTACHED TO THEIR CAREGIVERS

16. ATTACHMENT RESEARCH • SECURELY ATTACHED CHILDREN HAVE BETTER: • COGNITIVE OUTCOMES • SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT • GREATER LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY

17. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH & HUMAN DEVELOPMENT • 10-SITE STUDY RESULTS INDICATE INFANT CARE HAS NO EFFECT ON QUALITY OF CHILD’S ATTACHMENT WITH PARENTS • IF INSECURELY ATTACHED AT HOME & IN POOR QUALITY SETTINGS, INFANTS ARE AT RISK DEVELOPMENTALLY

18. CAROLLEE HOWES’ RESEARCH FINDINGS • CHILDREN, WHO ARE INSECURELY ATTACHED AT HOME, BENEFIT FROM A SECURE ATTACHMENT WITH A CAREGIVER IN OUT-OF-HOME CARE

19. UNIV. OF MINNESOTA STUDY • CHILDREN NOT RECEIVING RESPONSIVE EARLY CARE WERE AT HIGHER RISK FOR POOR OUTCOMES INCLUDING: • DIFFICULTY FORMING RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEERS IN PRESCHOOL & ADOLESCENCE • LOWER LEVEL SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT, ESPECIALLY IN ADOLESCENCE

20. UNIV. OF MINNESOTA STUDY • 72% WERE IN SPECIAL EDUCATION BY 3RD GRADE • EXHIBITED MORE BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS • MORE LIKELY TO USE DRUGS & ALCOHOL • CHILDREN WITH EARLY SECURE ATTACHMENTS WERE LESS VULNERABLE

21. SECURELY ATTACHED INFANTS WILL DEVELOP: • A POSITIVE SENSE OF SELF WORTH • A BELIEF IN THE HELPFULNESS OF OTHERS • A MODEL ON WHICH TO BUILD ALL FUTURE RELATIONSHIPS

22. SECURELY ATTACHED INFANTS WILL DEVELOP: • THE SECURITY TO EXPLORE ENVIRONMENT & DEAL WITH IT EFFECTIVELY • A SENSE THAT THEY ARE COMPETENT AND CAN SOLVE PROBLEMS

23. SECURE ATTACHMENT LEADS TO RESILIENCE: • IF CHILD’S RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS CONTINUE TO BE FAVORABLE, THESE EARLY PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR WILL LEAD TO RESILIENCE

24. QUALITY INFANT CARE • SHOULD HAVE THE SAME COMPONENTS OF QUALITY PARENTING—WARM, RESPONSIVE, CONSISTENT CAREGIVING GEARED TO THE NEEDS OF EACH INFANT

25. INFANT NEEDS IN GROUP CARE • CLOSE, CARING RELATIONSHIPS • INDIVIDUALIZED CARE • A SAFE & INTERESTING ENVIRONMENT

26. INFANT NEEDS IN GROUP CARE • CARE THAT IS CONNECTED TO FAMILY & CULTURE • KNOWLEDGEABLE, RESPONSIVE CAREGIVERS

27. HOW TO SUPPORT SECURE ATTACHMENTS IN GROUP CARE: • CAREGIVER MAKES AN EMOTIONAL INVESTMENT IN THE CHILD • CAREGIVER IS CONSISTENTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR MEETING PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL NEEDS OF THE INFANT • THE RELATIONSHIP LASTS FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD

28. TRENDS IN QUALITY • QUALITY IS CONTINUING TO DETERIORATE • COMPENSATION IS LOW & STAFF TURNOVER IS HIGH • WHILE EDUCATION OF STAFF IS IMPROVING, RATIOS & GROUPS SIZE ARE INCREASING

29. 1995 COST, QUALITY & CHILD OUTCOME STUDY • ALMOST 50% OF CENTER-BASED INFANT CARE WAS OF POOR QUALITY • 40% OF INFANT/TODDLER ROOMS ENDANGERED HEALTH & SAFETY • ONLY 8.3% OF ROOMS (1 IN 12) HAD DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE CARE

30. QUALITY CENTER-BASED INFANT CARE • LOW CHILD TO STAFF RATIOS • SMALL GROUP SIZES • CONTINUITY OF CARE (BIRTH-3YRS) • STAFF EDUCATION & INFANT TRAINING

31. QUALITY FAMILY CHILD CARE • CAREGIVER WANTS TO CARE FOR CHILDREN & RECOGNIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF HER WORK • PLANNED ENVIRONMENT & EXPERIENCES FOR CHILDREN • REGULATED BY STATE

32. WHAT IS NEEDED • INTENSE EFFORTS TO IMPROVE QUALITY • NATIONAL, STATE, LOCAL COMMUNITIES & PARENTS NEED TO ADDRESS COMPENSATION ISSUES

33. HOW DO WE ENSURE QUALITY CARE • RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF QUALITY EARLY CARE & EDUCATION • INVOLVE ALL STAKEHOLDERS IN MAKING NECESSARY ECONOMIC INVESTMENTS

34. HOW DO WE ENSURE QUALITY CARE • INCREASE TRAINING REQUIREMENTS IN LICENSING REQUIREMENTS • ENSURE ADEQUATE COMPENSATION TO ATTRACT & RETAIN EARLY CARE & EDUCATION TEACHERS & PROVIDERS

35. WHO ARE THE STAKEHOLDERS? • EVERY CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES HAS A PERSONAL STAKE IN ENSURING QUALITY EARLY CARE & EDUCATION • OUR CHILDREN ARE THE ONLY FUTURE WE HAVE