This study examined the extent to which existing awards and qualifications for the paraprofessional workforce in Scottish early education and care are appropriate to the needs of the sector as it responds to increasing regulation and concerns about quality. The study considered whether the qualifications provided a clear framework, how the…

The role of male teachers in early childhood education can be examined from many perspectives, including the need for male teachers, advantages and disadvantages of being a male in the profession, or why there are not more of them. In order to find out what male teachers think about teaching at the early childhood level, a survey consisting of 26…

This study examined child care providers' use of different HIV/AIDS information sources in relationship to their knowledge about HIV/AIDS and their response to common childhood behaviors and classroom situations involving an HIV-infected child. Results suggest that different types of information sources were associated with different aspects of…

Examined the impact of various factors on perceived emotional strain of adult son and daughter caregivers of frail elderly parents. Daughters experienced higher levels of emotional strain than did sons. Daughters' emotional strain predicted by interference with work and quality of relationship with parent. Sons' stressors also discussed. (RJM)

Discusses what parents in the 1990s need from child care and caregivers, including support, flexibility, and similarity in child-rearing attitudes. Suggests that caregivers keep these needs in mind--and strive to meet at least some of them--as a way to improve parent involvement in early childhood education. (HTH)

Randomly selected family child care homes providing minimal quality care were observed prior to, and after, enrolling two additional school age children. Results suggest that modest change in number and age range of children in family child care home providing minimally acceptable care may potentially decrease provider sensitivity and may be less…

Examined caregiver reading patterns with infants in metropolitan day care centers. Found effects for infant age, group size, and gender on caregiver's reading habits. Found that caregiver reading was quite brief for all ages and that caregivers found it easier to read to female than to male infants. Findings suggest the need for reading courses…

Examines Lawton, Kleban, Moss, Rovine, and Glickman's (1989) caregiving appraisal through a principal components analysis and varimax rotation of a data set based on in-depth quantitative interviews with 144 caregivers. Five caregiving appraisal dimensions are identified: task load caregiving, dysfunctional caregiving, intimacy and love, social…

The concepts, causes, and issues surrounding maternal guilt have significant implications for early childhood professionals. Child care providers can assist parents in choosing appropriate child care; promote positive communication and rapport with parents; reassure parents that maternal anxiety is normal; promote understanding of the concept of…

Focusing on formal care arrangements, this literature review proposes that: (1) caregivers' ambivalent and critical attitudes toward parents are not surprising nor risky for children; (2) high rates of parental satisfaction with day care are a product of perceived marketplace constraints; and (3) documented low rates of caregiver-parent contact…

This study examined predictors of caregivers' affectionate and angry behaviors in child care settings. Findings suggested that work environment had a greater relation with caregivers' affectionate behavior, whereas more internal, negative perceptions were linked to expressing anger in the classroom. Caregivers' training became very important to…

Examined opinions of diverse parents, teachers, and academics regarding Japanese society, its infant/toddler care system, labor force, and family. Found evidence of a difficult transition in the culture of child rearing, including increased caregiver responsibility for child rearing and increased anxiety about parenting among young mothers.…

Purpose: This study describes the experiences of workers hired under consumer direction. Design and Methods: Medicaid beneficiaries who volunteered for the Cash and Counseling demonstration were randomly assigned to the treatment group, which could participate in the consumer-directed program, or the control group, which was referred to agency…

In 2001, the authors assessed the quality of care provided to children in 51 care groups from 39 child-care centers in The Netherlands using the Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale (T. Harms, D. Cryer, & R. M. Clifford, 1990) and compared the results with the quality of child care assessed in 1995 (M. H. van IJzendoorn, L. W. C. Tavecchio,…

With the prevalence of kinship care increasing, it is critical to understand the role of caregiver strain among this population. This study focused on the strain experienced by relative caregivers as compared to parents who were caring for children with serious emotional disturbance (SED). Descriptive and multiple regression analyses demonstrated…