Family engagement in childcare is important to ensure the optimal growth, development, and safety of children. Previous research has explored family engagement practices, but limited research is available on the application of theory to explain the uptake of family engagement principles. The purpose of this study was to explore the use and…

Parents (N = 123; 90% Caucasian; 99% with college experience) of young children (ages 1-5) were asked to list the top three reasons for their childcare choices. Parents were also asked a hypothetical question about how their childcare choices would have changed if money were no object. Results showed that the majority of participants who chose…

When playwork settings re-opened in July 2020 after the first lockdown in March 2020, playwork as a profession demonstrated its adaptable and flexible nature for children to access the provision. This included open access provision becoming closed access and bookable, a reduction in the number of children, resources, and space to play, and…

Background: Since the 1990s there has been an exponential growth in childcare provision in the UK, particularly for school-aged children. There has also been a growing interest in the conceptualisation and measurement of quality of childcare and the professionalisation of the childcare workforce. Previous studies have found that one of the most…

The professionalisation of social care practice in Ireland, after a period of dormancy, has experienced rapid advancement toward statutory regulation and reform. Yet, the limited literature available in Ireland on the subject matter, almost exclusively predates these changes. This paper presents a theoretically informed commentary on the…

This study examines why African-American caregivers in low-income urban neighborhoods in the United States transition their children between different childcare arrangements involving relative care, home/family care and center-based care, based on interviews conducted with 40 caregivers from three different childcare centers in one metropolitan…

Child care centre attendance is associated with an increased risk of concurrent ear infections, but what is less clear is whether there are any positive or negative long-term effects of early child care attendance on the incidence of ear infections in later childhood. This research assessed the impact of early child care attendance on concurrent…

Emerging research indicates an immense burden on children and families related to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study uses data from semi-structured interviews and focus groups with early childhood service providers (n=19) to demonstrate the pandemic's impact on families with very young children and early childhood services in two high-need…

The paper focuses on the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), which sets standards for children's care, development and education in England from birth to five years old. Analysing the EYFS, as comprised of knowledge and discourses that inform, and are informed by broader cultural understandings of childhood and development, we argue that the way…

This study used a semi-structured approach interviewing 22 participants currently working in playwork. Participants were asked what they thought was the purpose of playwork and comment on their playwork practice because of the lockdown from COVID-19 in the United Kingdom (UK). Using thematic analysis, three purposes of playwork practice were…

Care-experienced children and young people are likely to experience early adversities that place them at increased risk of developing physical and mental health difficulties. Physical activity can help address the varied needs and interests of care-experienced children and young people and become a tool to manage mental health and well-being…

Much research has explored transitions into adulthood for children living in out-of-home care. However, most of these studies are concentrated in Western countries, leaving a gap of information from the Global South. This paper discusses findings from a small-scale qualitative study conducted in Harare, Zimbabwe. Semi-structured interviews with (n…

This article describes a research project designed to explore the ways in which young people with experience of the care system in Ireland understand "family", and family relationships. We chose Constructivist Grounded Theory (CGT) as the conceptual and analytical framework for the research as it focuses on privileging the voice of…

The term "participation" is widely used to refer to the involvement of children and young people in decision-making on issues that affect their lives. The Health and Information Quality Authority (HIQA) is the national inspectorate for social care in Ireland. HIQA monitors Tusla, Ireland's child and family agency, for compliance with…

Playful interactions with peers have a significant role in children's lives, and experiencing belongingness and acceptance through interpersonal relationships is a fundamental presupposition for children's health and well-being. Peer rejections appear to be an inevitable component of peer interactions. Sometimes, rejection involves relational…