The effects of specialized training on caregivers and children in early-years settings: An evaluation of the foundation course in playgroup practice

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Abstract

This study examined the effects of a 120-hour preschool training course on caregivers’ behavior and children’s development in early-years settings. Sixteen caregivers attending this training course and 17 comparison caregivers were assessed on a measure of caregiver sensitivity in the child-care centers in which they were employed. Sixty-eight children, two from each center, were assessed for social and cognitive competence. Both the training and comparison caregivers and children were observed before and after the former group attended the training course. Caregivers who received training made significant gains in positive relationship and decreased in levels of detachment. The children in their care made significant gains in complex social and cognitive play from pre- to post-training. The comparison group adults and children showed no significant improvements from pre- to post-test times.

Section snippets

Caregiver training and behavior

The majority of studies that have investigated training have looked at the relationship between caregiver training and behavior in classroom settings. There is now a growing body of research that indicates that training is related to behavior. For example, training has been associated with caregivers’ social interaction with the children in their care Clarke–Stewart et al 1994, Howes 1983, Ruopp et al 1979; with higher numbers of positive interactions, lower levels of detachment and

Adults

Thirty-three caregivers participated in the study at pre-test, and 29 participants were remaining for post-test data collection. All participants were female. Sixteen caregivers were training participants, all of whom had enrolled in the same Foundation Course. These 16 caregivers came from a group of 19 caregivers attending the course. The remaining three course participants did not take part in the study for reasons other than to do with the present study. All 16 participants successfully

Observations

All participants were observed during morning sessions in the setting in which they were employed. Observations commenced 15 minutes after the facility opened so as to exclude behaviors specific to the arrival of children. Each period of observation lasted for 2 hours. The first round of observations took place in September immediately after the commencement of the training course and was completed over a 5-week period. The second round of observations began during March of the following year

Pre-training measures

A t test was conducted on mean pre-test scores for all participants on each of the instruments. No significant differences were found between the scores of the training and comparison groups (children and adults of both groups) on any of the observational measures at the time of pre-testing. These results indicate that the groups were performing similarly before treatment.

Adult behavior

To test the hypothesis that the participants in the Foundation course would gain in sensitivity after training and when

Discussion

The results showed that the completion of a 120-hour training program resulted in higher levels of caregiver sensitivity and higher levels of play among children cared for by the caregivers that received training. Caregivers who attended the training course made significant gains on a measure of positive relationship and demonstrated a significant reduction in levels of detachment. A comparison group of caregivers that did not receive training showed no change in ratings of sensitivity from

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