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Thresholds of quality: implications for the social development of children in center-based child care
C Howes1, D A Phillips, M Whitebook
1Graduate School of Education, University of California, Los Angeles 90024-1521.
Insights
High-quality child care, meeting Federal Interagency Day Care Requirements (FIDCR) for ratios and group size, promotes secure child-teacher attachments and peer competence. This leads to better social development and overall child well-being in early education settings.
Area of Science:
- Child Development
- Early Childhood Education
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Child care quality significantly impacts social-emotional development.
- Understanding the link between structural quality (ratios, group size) and relationship quality is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between structural child care quality and the quality of child-adult and child-peer interactions.
- To investigate how classroom quality influences children's social competence.
Main Methods:
- Assessed child care quality using Federal Interagency Day Care Requirements (FIDCR) for ratios and group size.
- Utilized the Early Childhood and Infant and Toddler Environmental Rating Scales to evaluate caregiving and activities.
- Observed relationships and peer interactions for 414 children aged 14–54 months.
Main Results:
- Classrooms meeting FIDCR ratios were associated with higher quality caregiving and activities.
- Good caregiving quality predicted secure child-teacher attachment.
- Secure attachment and higher activity quality predicted greater peer competence.
- Meeting FIDCR group size standards correlated with higher quality activities.
- Children oriented towards both adults and peers in high-activity settings showed greater peer competence.
Conclusions:
- Structural quality in child care, specifically FIDCR standards, is linked to better relationship quality and social competence.
- Secure attachments and engaging classroom activities are key mediators of positive child outcomes.
- Optimizing child care environments supports children's social development and peer interactions.
Abstract:
We assessed the quality of center child care relationships with adults and peers for 414 children (ages 14 to 54 months). Classrooms were classified by ratio and group size provisions of the Federal Interagency Day Care Requirements (FIDCR) and by the Early Childhood and Infant and Toddler Environmental Rating Scales. Children cared for in classrooms meeting FIDCR ratios were more likely to be in classrooms rated as good or very good in caregiving and activities. Children in classrooms rated as good or very good in caregiving were more likely to be securely attached to teachers. Securely attached children were more competent with peers. Children cared for in classrooms meeting FIDCR group size were more likely to be in classrooms rated higher in activities. Children in classrooms rated high in activities were likely to orient to both adults and peers. Children with social orientations to adults and peers were more competent with peers.