scholarly journals Lettuce Grow: Universities Collaborating with Nonprofits to Provide Child Care Development Educators with Garden Knowledge and Experience

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 700-703
Author(s):  
Kathryn Fontenot ◽  
Edward Bush ◽  
Rebecca Gravois

University-based horticulture departments and extension agents have explored the relationship between gardening programs and consumer knowledge and preferences. Studies have established positive correlations between garden participation and increased science scores and heightened environmental stewardship. The objective of this research was to determine if participation in “Lettuce Grow” garden workshops cohosted by the Louisiana State University Agriculture Center (LSU AgCenter) and Volunteers of America Greater Baton Rouge (VOA-GBR) had positive effects on child care providers’ garden knowledge and willingness to implement garden programming with children aged 5 years and younger. Participation led to a 67% increase (P ≤ 0.05) in horticulture knowledge for participants and resulted in 76.2% of the child care providers actively engaged in growing a garden with youth aged 5 years and under. Based on this experience, we highly recommend universities partner with local nonprofits to engage in deeper meaning, science-based garden extension projects.

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jo Anne Kock ◽  
Olga Soto ◽  
Murial Sanders

2021 ◽  
pp. 0192513X2110223
Author(s):  
Adrienne M. Davidson ◽  
Samantha Burns ◽  
Delaine Hampton ◽  
Linda White ◽  
Michal Perlman

Many children in Canada and the United States experience poor-quality child care on a regular basis. Under the rubric of “parent choice,” governments continue to permit a variety of licensed care providers (centers and homes) as well as unlicensed home child care providers. Research suggests, however, that parents are not well-informed consumers about child care services, unaware of even the basic characteristics of their child’s care. In this study, we provide findings from a latent profile analysis based on a conjoint survey conducted in Toronto, Canada to better understand the factors that influence parents’ decisions in selecting child care services. Based on responses from over 700 parents, we identify five classes of parents that reflect a range of preferences in selecting child care. However, most groups show a strong preference for licensed early childhood education and care (ECEC) options. Limitations of this study and implications for policy are discussed.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. e042544
Author(s):  
Margaret Nampijja ◽  
Kenneth Okelo ◽  
Patricia Kitsao Wekulo ◽  
Elizabeth W Kimani-Murage ◽  
Helen Elsey

IntroductionInvesting in children during the critical period between birth and age 5 years can have long-lasting benefits throughout their life. Children in Kenya’s urban informal settlements, face significant challenges to healthy development, particularly when their families need to earn a daily wage and cannot care for them during the day. In response, informal and poor quality child-care centres with untrained caregivers have proliferated. We aim to co-design and test the feasibility of a supportive assessment and skills-building for child-care centre providers.Methods and analysisA sequential mixed-methods approach will be used. We will map and profile child-care centres in two informal settlements in Nairobi, and complete a brief quality assessment of 50 child-care centres. We will test the feasibility of a supportive assessment skills-building system on 40 child-care centres, beginning with assessing centre-caregivers’ knowledge and skills in these centres. This will inform the subsequent co-design process and provide baseline data. Following a policy review, we will use experience-based co-design to develop the supportive assessment process. This will include qualitative interviews with policymakers (n=15), focus groups with parents (n=4 focus group discussions (FGDs)), child-care providers (n=4 FGDs) and joint workshops. To assess feasibility and acceptability, we will observe, record and cost implementation for 6 months. The knowledge/skills questionnaire will be repeated at the end of implementation and results will inform the purposive selection of 10 child-care providers and parents for qualitative interviews. Descriptive statistics and thematic framework approach will respectively be used to analyse quantitative and qualitative data and identify drivers of feasibility.Ethics and disseminationThe study has been approved by Amref Health Africa’s Ethics and Scientific Review Committee (Ref: P7802020 on 20th April 2020) and the University of York (Ref: HSRGC 20th March 2020). Findings will be published and continual engagement with decision-makers will embed findings into child-care policy and practice.


1996 ◽  
Vol 115 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann M. Berghout Austin ◽  
Michael K. Godfrey ◽  
Jean M. Larsen ◽  
Shelley L. Knudsen Lindauer ◽  
Maria C. Norton

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