Too much formal child care can be bad
Too much time in formal child care in the early years can lead to poor teacher relationships and behavioural problems in kindergarten, according to the report of the Child Care Choices longitudinal extension study.
This major study followed children and families as they progressed through child care into kindergarten and onwards. The study looked into the views of children, their parents, child care staff and school teachers, to understand the characteristics of these children and their care experiences.
The study also found that children’s experiences of early child care paved the way for their experiences and development at school.
Children who experienced more than one type of child care in the year immediately before school had greater difficulty adjusting to kindergarten. These children experienced more conflict in their relationships with teachers and said they didn’t like school as much as other children.
Positive teacher-child relationships in child care predicted closeness in children’s relationships with their teachers, more prosocial behaviour in kindergarten and liking school. Poorer relationships with teachers in the early years of child care predicted more conflict with kindergarten teachers and more socio-emotional difficulties.
Hours in child care was a frequent and significant predictor of child adjustment at school.
Longer hours in early formal care arrangements were part of the prediction of teachers’ ratings of poorer academic adjustment, less prosocial behaviour, more socio-emotional difficulties, as well as less closeness and more conflict in the teacher-child relationship.
In contrast, longer hours of early informal care had a positive effect on prosocial behaviour, as rated by parents and on the teacher-child relationship at school.
Professor Jennifer Bowes who led the project, said that parents should be encouraged to consider other informal care options such as grandparents and family day care, which is underused.
The study was presented to more than 100 non-government and government workers at a recent Community Services Research to Practice seminar.
Macquarie University undertook the study in collaboration with Charles Sturt University. It was led by Professor Jennifer Bowes, Associate Dean, Research, Faculty of Human Sciences and Director, Children and Families Research Centre, Macquarie University.