A Comparative Exploration of the Pedagogical Quality of Parent-Led Child Care Centers and Regular Child Care in The Netherlands

Research Findings: This small-scale study features the 1st comparative exploration of the pedagogical quality of parent-led child care and regular child care in The Netherlands. The quality of the interaction skills and the affective relationships between adults and children was evaluated and compared with those of regular child care centers. On average parents in parent-led child care had interactions with adequate to good sensitive responsiveness, respect for autonomy, structuring and limit setting, and verbal communication. Developmental stimulation and fostering positive peer interactions proved to be weaker areas. Parents’ perceptions of the affective relationship with children in the group were characterized by a high level of closeness and a low level of dependency and conflict. Parents experienced a greater degree of closeness but also more conflict and in particular greater dependency with their own children than with the other children. A comparison between parent-led centers and regular urban child care centers revealed some small but significant differences in pedagogical quality. Practice or Policy: Parents can play a more active role in both the design and implementation of child care. It seems interesting to pilot new child care formats in which parents and professional staff collaborate more closely

Comparing center-based with home-based child care: Type of care moderates the association between process quality and child functioning

This study compares process quality and child functioning in Dutch center-based care and home-based care and explores the role of the dyadic caregiver-child relationship. Participants in this study included 228 children from 74 locations (154 attending center-based child care, 74 home-based child care; mean age 2.5 years). The level of emotional and behavioral support and caregiver-child closeness was higher in home-based care than center-based care, whereas quality of the physical environment was higher in center-based child care. Children's well-being was higher and levels of problem behavior were lower in home-based care compared to center-based care. The caregiver-child relationship was related to a higher level of well-being and less problem behavior. Process quality was more strongly related to children's functioning in home-based child care compared to center-based child care. The dyadic relationship quality is an important element of the care ecology of preschool children and predicts child functioning in both home-based and center-based care

De pedagogische kwaliteit van de ouderparticipatiecrèche in 2016; Draaiers en hun relaties met kinderen in beeld: Tussenrapport

Nederland kent inmiddels zo’n veertig jaar ouderparticipatiecrèches (opc’s). Dit is een vorm van kinderopvang waarbij de ouders (die ‘draaiers’ worden genoemd als zij op de groep staan) gezamenlijk verantwoordelijk zijn voor de kinderopvang van elkaars kinderen en voor het gevoerde pedagogische beleid. De pedagogische kwaliteit van de ouderparticipatiecrèches, is niet eerder wetenschappelijk onderzocht. Een eerste kwaliteitspeiling is uitgevoerd met een evaluatie van de interactievaardigheden (op groepsniveau) en de pedagogische relatie tussen draaiers en hun eigen kinderen enerzijds en andere kinderen anderzijds (dyadisch niveau). Op de basale vaardigheden sensitieve responsiviteit, respect voor autonomie, structureren en grenzen stellen laten de draaiers gemiddeld voldoende tot goede kwaliteit zien. Ook de meer educatieve vaardigheid praten en uitleggen is gemiddeld voldoende tot goed. De kwaliteit van de vaardigheden ontwikkelingsstimulering en begeleiding van interacties is gemiddeld onvoldoende. De draaiers ervaren zowel meer nabijheid als afhankelijk- en conflictueus gedrag van hun eigen kind in vergelijking met andere kinderen in de groep die niet van de ouder zelf zijn