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Parental and Educator Perceptions of Implementing Standardized Screenings for Early Detection of Motor Skills in
Barbara Scheiber1,2, Sarah Mildner2, Peter Federolf1
1Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Insights
Parents and educators in Tyrol strongly support standardized motor skill screenings for preschoolers. Early identification of motor deficits is crucial for development, but practical implementation requires addressing logistical and communication challenges.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Early Childhood Development
- Preventive Healthcare
Background:
- Motor skill development is vital for early childhood growth, social participation, and academic readiness.
- Austria's current preschool preventive health program lacks standardized motor skill screenings.
- This study investigates parent and educator perceptions on implementing motor screenings in Tyrolean kindergartens.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore parental and educator views on the importance and feasibility of standardized motor skill screenings in kindergartens.
- To identify potential benefits and challenges associated with implementing such screenings.
- To gauge stakeholder support for policy changes regarding early childhood motor assessments.
Main Methods:
- Questionnaires distributed to parents and educators in 25 Tyrolean kindergartens (April-May 2024).
- Data collection included structured and open-ended questions on perceived importance, feasibility, and impact.
- Quantitative data analyzed descriptively; qualitative data underwent thematic analysis.
Main Results:
- High support for mobility screenings from 892 parents (90.6% deem them important) and 19 educator teams (100% value their importance).
- Parents emphasized child-friendly, voluntary approaches; educators noted feasibility in daily routines but raised logistical/communication concerns.
- Both groups recognized screenings' potential for early identification and timely developmental support.
Conclusions:
- Strong perceived importance of kindergarten mobility screenings for identifying early childhood motor deficits, supported by parents and educators.
- Stakeholder support is essential for policy changes towards standardized screenings.
- Effective integration necessitates addressing practical factors like logistics, tool selection, and accessibility.
Background:
Motor skill development in early childhood is essential for children's overall growth, including social participation and academic readiness. Despite the importance of motor skills, Austria's preventive health program for preschoolers currently lacks standardized motor screenings. This study explores the perceptions of parents and kindergarten educators regarding the potential implementation of regular, standardized motor skill screenings in kindergartens across Tyrol.
Methods:
In April-May 2024, questionnaires were distributed to 25 kindergartens across Tyrol. Parents and educators responded to structured and open-ended questions on the perceived importance, feasibility and potential impact of mobility screenings. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively, whereas qualitative data underwent thematic analysis to identify key themes regarding attitudes and practical considerations for implementing mobility screenings.
Results:
A total of 892 parents and 19 educator teams responded. Both strongly supported mobility screenings, with 90.6% of the parents viewing them as important as existing health screenings and 100% of educators valuing their importance regarding children's motor development. Qualitative responses from parents emphasized the role of mobility screenings in promoting general development while highlighting the need for a child-friendly, voluntary approach. Educators not only showed strong support, noting the feasibility and benefit of daily routines, but also identified logistical and communication challenges regarding follow-up. Both groups acknowledged the potential of standardized screenings for early identification, allowing timely developmental support.
Conclusion:
The findings underscore the perceived importance of mobility screening in kindergarten to identify motor skill deficits in early childhood, an insight strongly supported by both educators and parents. Stakeholder support is a critical prerequisite for potential policy adaptations towards offering standardized kindergarten mobility screenings. To ensure effective integration, practical factors such as logistics, tool selection and accessibility must be addressed.
