Enhancing Childhood-Educator Knowledge and Confidence: Virtual "Coffee Chat" Interventions with Medical Professionals

Context Early childhood educators (ECEs) are central to the development and care of children, but they often lack adequate access to resources and expert guidance for managing common childhood health issues. These challenges can lead to significant stress for both educators and parents. To address this gap, a pilot intervention involving virtual "coffee chat" sessions was implemented. These sessions aimed to provide ECEs with evidence-based knowledge and practical strategies to handle frequent childhood health concerns. Objective The primary objective of this study was to enhance the knowledge and confidence of ECEs in addressing common health and behavioral issues among children in the New River Valley, USA. The sessions, facilitated by pediatricians and medical students, covered a range of topics identified as high-priority by educators. The goal was to create a sustainable educational model for improving child health management in childcare settings. Methods This study used a self-designed pre- and post-survey format to measure the effectiveness of eight virtual "coffee chat" sessions conducted over two years. The initial sessions focused on educators in the New River Valley, USA, and the final session expanded across Virginia, USA. Topics included common illnesses (e.g., cough, diarrhea), trauma management, obesity, and behavioral issues such as self-regulation and temper tantrums. Each session consisted of a brief evidence-based presentation followed by interactive discussions. Participants were recruited through local and statewide child care organizations, and surveys were used to assess changes in their confidence and knowledge levels. Descriptive statistics and a Wilcoxon Signed Rank test were applied to analyze the data, while qualitative feedback from open-ended responses was categorized thematically. Results Across the eight sessions, 30 registrations were recorded, with 19 participants, some of whom attended multiple sessions. Pre- and post-survey results demonstrated significant improvements in knowledge and confidence, with an overall p-value of <0.001. Six out of eight topics showed increased post-survey scores, with the session on self-regulation and temper tantrums, which had the largest cohort (N=10), yielding a significant improvement (p=0.0041), highlighting its broad impact and relevance. Feedback from participants highlighted the value of practical, evidence-based strategies and the opportunity to engage directly with healthcare professionals. However, variability was observed in some topics, such as diarrhea, where post-survey scores declined slightly, pointing to potential areas for improvement. Conclusion Virtual "coffee chat" sessions proved to be an effective, scalable method for improving the health management skills of ECEs. The intervention's interactive and accessible format was particularly appreciated by participants and shows promise as a model for ongoing professional development. However, given the study's design and sample size, these findings should be interpreted as preliminary. Future efforts should focus on refining content, expanding participation, and exploring long-term impacts on both educator practices and child outcomes.