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Weaver, R. E. H. (2002). The habitat of licensed child care providers: The influences of caregiver, contextual and group characteristics on quality of care. Dissertation Abstracts International, 62(7-A), 2338.
This study examined individual and unique influences in family child care providers lives that enhance or undermine quality of care.
The Study
- The goal of this study was to explore the links between family child care provider education and training, psychological well being, adult attachment style, commitment to care, social supports, perceptions of current children in care, and quality of care.
The Methods
- The sample consisted of 65 licensed urban and rural family child care providers in Dane County, WI. The average provider age was 42.9; average years of experience was 10.94; average adult/child ratio was 6.06; and 97% of the sample was white (consistent with the county as a whole).
- A combination of survey instruments and home observation were used to collect data.
The Findings
- Licensed providers who had higher levels of training and education in early child hood education, better well being, higher family incomes, and perceptions of the children in their care as being more challenging to care for tended to receive higher ratings on quality of care compared to providers who did not meet these criteria.
- Providers with higher incomes reported higher levels of commitment, better support networks, and were less depressed than providers with smaller incomes.
- Those who reported depressive symptoms reported lower wellbeing and commitment to care, less training and supportive resources, and lower incomes compared to providers without depressive symptoms.
- Providers with high levels of commitment to family child care had high levels of well-being, better network, more support from their spouse or partner, and higher compensation compared to providers with low commitment levels.
- Secure adult attachment and high levels of commitment predicted high levels of well-being in providers.
- Most helpful resources for providers were:
- Other providers,
- Support groups,
- Respite, and
- Other staff.
- Providers with more education and training scored higher on the Family Day Care Rating Scale (FDCRS) and offered consistently good or better quality care.
R2P Evaluation
The findings of this study indicate a need to provide professional development opportunities to family child care workers as well as supportive networks and resources. The findings should also affect family child care policies.
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