Analyzed child care rules and regulations of four states from Child Care, Cost & Quality study. Found that the limited requirements set for child care personnel and community interaction departed substantially from professional judgments about what is needed in child care settings. Higher personnel standards, explicit emphasis on developmental…

This study investigated the association between the nature of parent-caregiver relationships and child behavior and examined the parent-caregiver relationship as a social support. A total of 120 parents of 2-year-olds who used child care at least 20 hours a week were randomly selected. Participants were asked to complete a survey that included a…

Identifies ways to prepare parents for small early childhood education/care program changes (planned staff absences, changes of the environment or schedule, changes of classmates, changes of classroom pets, and classroom visitors) and large changes (funding, regulations, staff, building, administration). Suggests ways to keep parents informed,…

Information on how warm and responsive care can help shape infants' and toddlers' development and their ability to learn can be reassuring for concerned parents. This guide, in English and Spanish versions, presents quality child care as a partnership between the child caregiver and the parents with the primary goal of benefiting the child. The…

Interrelationships among 3 measures of parent involvement, 1 of staff valuing parent-staff communication, and 1 of program quality being provided the to children were examined in the infant/toddler and preschool classes of 16 proprietary day-care centers. Results suggested that directors who promote formal parent involvement are likely to run…

Delineates signs of physical abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse in young children for child caregivers, and provides suggestions for recognizing abusive adults. Describes the law and procedures for reporting suspected abuse or neglect in Texas. Discusses the types of response from police or child protective services and how to continue working with…

Presents information on caring for infants in a child care setting. Suggestions include responding quickly to crying, setting the schedule to baby's pace, talking to the baby, using proper hand-washing procedures, checking the room daily for safety, going outdoors every day, and building partnerships with parents. Includes a sample form for…

The Families Matter series of papers from the Harvard Family Research Project advances the concept of family-centered child care, advocating an approach to early childhood education that addresses the development of the child and family together. Grounded in family support principles, which build on family strengths and work from a community's…

Tested the "buffer" hypothesis in caregiver-parent relationships, predicting that parents seek caregiver contact primarily in response to negative daycare situations. Parents' responses to vignettes revealed that parents reported most caregiver inclusions in negative daycare situations compared to other daycare or home situations. Parents…

Noting that child care arrangements are one of the most important decisions parents face, this videotape discusses characteristics to look for when evaluating a day care facility, either home-based or center-based. The 10-minute videotape suggests that parents' look for a facility in which the child will be both happy and safe, then outlines areas…

Surveyed 264 child caregivers about center policies and caregiver experiences related to child abuse that may influence the caregiver-parent relationship. Summarizes implications for early childhood educators' efforts to help caregivers build an open and positive relationship with parents. (RJC)

This article presents strategies for improving relationships between child caregivers and families. Strategies include creating family-friendly environments, focusing on the family during phone calls and center tours, supplementing enrollment forms with pages for family books, inviting family members to share stories of their childhood, rethinking…

Discusses cultural differences in sleeping practices, focusing on how child caregivers can provide developmentally appropriate and culturally sensitive care. Describes co-sleeping as an accepted practice in many cultures with several benefits. Discusses the role of cultural values, beliefs, priorities, and goals and the importance of…

Examines how child caregivers can shape parents' expectations of child care through written and visual materials. Includes suggestions for writing notes to parents, focusing on characteristics of good parent notes. Provides excerpts from sample notes and lists nine sources of parent/program conflict, including biting and child aggression, outdoor…

Suggests effective ways to work with parents who may be permissive, busy, detached, overprotective, or negative. Recommends that child care professionals be sensitive and understanding, recognize other demands on parents' time and communicate competitively with them, use terms parents understand, accept various levels of parental involvement, be…