Background: There is a high prevalence of communication difficulty among older people living in residential-aged care. Such functional deficits can have a negative impact on resident quality of life, staff workplace satisfaction and the provision of quality care. Systematic research investigating the nature of communication management in…

The science is unequivocal in showing that infants and toddlers begin learning very young, and the workforce must be equipped with the specific skills and practices to fully support this important period of development. A major conclusion in the 2015 report from the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council, "Transforming the…

Background: The study explored the grief process of persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (PWIDDs) as perceived by direct care workers (DCWs) and how such workers can guide and support PWIDDs experiencing grief. Materials and Methods: A thematic analysis approach was used to examine data from nine focus groups with 60 DCWs from…

In the past decade, various stakeholders in the public and private sectors in Hawai'i have sought to increase the state's investment in child care and early learning programs. A new Executive Office of Early Learning was established in June 2012 to build a statewide early childhood development and learning system. The state also established a…

One tool that many families own, across the globe, is a basic mobile phone. The use of low-cost basic mobile phones for educational purposes in humanitarian settings is critical where access to connectivity and higher cost devices is limited. The portability of mobile phones, combined with their communication features, offers multiple uses to…

This MSHS Services Snapshot summarizes key data on demographics and services for children from birth to age five and pregnant women served by all Migrant and Seasonal Head Start programs. The data in this Snapshot is a subset of the annual Program Information Report (PIR) submission to the Office of Head Start. Data categories include: (1) Funded…

Several national standards and accrediting bodies highlight the importance of fostering supportive school-to-home relationships. Despite initiatives to connect schools with parents and family members, family engagement and parental involvement practices for families of diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds varies considerably. Such…

This study focuses on flexibly scheduled early childhood education and care (ECEC), an institutional childcare service for Finnish families where both parents, or a single parent, work non-standard hours. Although many countries nowadays offer extended hours day care, only Finland has a publicly provided, law-based system guaranteeing ECEC during…

In this conceptual article, the authors examine the context of early childhood education and care in England and the underpinning predominant ideologies to explore how these impact on the framing of leadership. The English context entails several contradictions (antinomies) at ontological, epistemological and axiological levels, and is heavily…

This study explored the perceptions of practitioners who deliver the Baby Mat community-based, parent--infant mental healthcare intervention offered at primary healthcare clinics in Alexandra Township, South Africa. This intervention aims to foster secure attachments between mothers/caregivers and infants, shaping a healthy foundation for future…

This project partnered researchers, Visiting Teachers, and three networks of home-based educators to engage with three research-informed professional learning modules designed to support educator practice and enhance children's learning. Each module focused on one aspect of developing competencies related to success in beginning schooling…

This single case study was undertaken to explore how an infant head teacher meets the needs of the infants, who express their desire to be cared for, in their caring encounters. Natural daily interactions between infants and the teacher were observed for approximately 10 weeks. Through the qualitative data analysis, the results of this study…

This qualitative multicase study explored the process through which three student caregivers engaged in relationships with key infants in the context of an infant practicum course as a foundation for learning about infant development and practice. Focusing on caregiver-infant dyads, data sources included videotaped observations of caregiver-child…

Puppetry plays an edutainment role in playing and learning activities for nursery and kindergarten children. This qualitative study was aimed to investigate the benefits of puppetry activities for children who were enrolled in early childhood programs. In-depth interviews were conducted with four respondents, two of whom were child care providers…

It is impossible to anticipate the length and impact of a global pandemic. Millions of young children across the globe had to quickly adjust to innovations in technology that support cognitive development. The coaches and educators at the Quality Early Education System (QEES) in Hillsborough County-a comprehensive, multiagency effort to support…