INJECTING EDUCATIONAL ELEMENT IN LAWS AND REGULATIONS OF CHILD CARE CENTRES IN MALAYSIA

The aim of regulating child care centres should not just be limited to providing protection in terms of the children’s safety and health. It should go beyond providing a ‘safe haven’ in order to enhance the potentials of the children. Therefore, the element of learning and education should be included as one of the legal requirements in regulating child care centres. This paper, therefore, examines the question of whether the educational element should be enacted in the legislative framework of Malaysian child care. The qualitative method is used in this study using document analysis. The laws and regulations on child care centres especially Child Care Centre Act 1984 are evaluated. Apart from the laws and regulations in Malaysia, analysis on international experiences of various jurisdictions which may be taken as lessons for Malaysia is also conducted in enhancing the laws and regulations of Malaysian child care. It is submitted that educational element is an important element to be embedded in laws and regulations governing child care centres in Malaysia early childhood apart from other legal requirements.

How stable is program quality in child care centre classrooms?

In the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) sector there is a move to reduce oversight costs by reducing the frequency of quality assessments in providers who score highly consistently across time. However, virtually nothing is known about the stability of ECEC quality assessments over time. Using a validated measure of overall classroom quality, we examined stability of quality in a sample of over 1000 classrooms in licensed child care centres in Toronto, Canada over a 3-year period. Multilevel mixed-effects linear regression analyses revealed substantial instability across all types of ECEC centres, although publicly operated centres were somewhat more stable and tended to have higher quality scores. We also found substantial variance between classrooms within ECEC centres. None of the structural, child/family and neighbourhood characteristics we examined were significantly related to stability of quality ratings. The lack of stability found in our sample does not support the use of a risk-based approach to quality oversight in ECEC. Large within centre classroom quality variance suggest that all classrooms within a centre should be assessed individually. Furthermore, classroom level scores should be posted when scores are made public as part of accountability systems. Future research should, in addition to administrative data used in our study, explore how factors such as educator training, participation in program planning, reflective practices and ongoing learning might improve stability of quality over time.

CHILD CARE OR CHILD SCARE: ENHANCING THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS ON HEALTH AND SAFETY IN CHILD CARE CENTRES LAWS AND REGULATIONS IN MALAYSIA

Health and safety are the required legal requirements that need to be regulated in-laws and regulations of child care centres. These legal requirements are categorised as structural quality features which are often translated into laws and regulations in ensuring quality child care for children. This paper examines the question of whether the health and safety legal requirements necessitate improvements in the legislative framework of Malaysian child care. The laws and regulations in Malaysia on health and safety requirements as stated in the Child Care Centre Act 1984 and Child Care Centre Regulation 2012 are evaluated according to the relevant sections and regulations. Recommendations are made in enhancing laws and regulations in child care centres in Malaysia regarding health and safety. The qualitative method was used in this study using document analysis especially the related laws in Malaysia. Cross-reference to other jurisdictions’ laws and regulations such as Australia and Singapore was also conducted. In conclusion, enhancement on health and safety features need to be made especially with regards to knowledge on child protection law amongst child care providers, prohibition of employment, laws, and regulations on incidents, injury and trauma, and medicine and drugs administration.

A case study approach : exploring socially inclusive programming for toddlers with Down Syndrome through a relationship lens

This instrumental case study set out to examine the toddler room of one child care centre (centre X) deemed as providing inclusive child care for toddlers with Down Syndrome (DS). Through use of both interview and observation tools this study sought to answer four particular research questions. These questions included: (1) To what extent is this centre providing socially inclusive child care for toddlers with DS? (2) What strategies do ECEs in this centre use to include toddlers with DS in socially meaningful opportunities with their peers? (3) How do parents of children with and without DS perceive their child's classroom to be an inclusive environment (4) How do parents of children with and without DS recognize social inclusion to be a primary goal in their child's development during toddlerhood? After analyzing the rich set of data collected during the interview and observation process results demonstrated that each of the four research questions were affirmatively answered. More specifically, results demonstrated that not only were the ECEs in the toddler room providing C01 with socially meaningful opportunities but relationship formation among all children, typically developing or not, was something that was also highly valued and supported by these ECEs.

A case study approach : exploring socially inclusive programming for toddlers with Down Syndrome through a relationship lens

This instrumental case study set out to examine the toddler room of one child care centre (centre X) deemed as providing inclusive child care for toddlers with Down Syndrome (DS). Through use of both interview and observation tools this study sought to answer four particular research questions. These questions included: (1) To what extent is this centre providing socially inclusive child care for toddlers with DS? (2) What strategies do ECEs in this centre use to include toddlers with DS in socially meaningful opportunities with their peers? (3) How do parents of children with and without DS perceive their child's classroom to be an inclusive environment (4) How do parents of children with and without DS recognize social inclusion to be a primary goal in their child's development during toddlerhood? After analyzing the rich set of data collected during the interview and observation process results demonstrated that each of the four research questions were affirmatively answered. More specifically, results demonstrated that not only were the ECEs in the toddler room providing C01 with socially meaningful opportunities but relationship formation among all children, typically developing or not, was something that was also highly valued and supported by these ECEs.

COMPARISON OF PROGRESSION OF SPONTANEOUS VERSUS INDUCED LABOR IN PRIMI AND MULTIPAROUS WOMEN

Objectives: The objectives of the study were to compare progression of spontaneous versus induced labor in primigravida and multigravida women. Methods: Pregnant women admitted in Labor room of Bebe Nanaki mother and Child Care Centre, Amritsar during April 2019–March 2020 were selected for this study. A total of 200 pregnant women were selected and divided into two groups. Women in group A were induced while in group B were women with spontaneous onset of labor. Labor progression in both was compared. Results: In group A, the mean duration of the active phase in primigravida was 4.08±2.30 h and in multigravida was 4.02±2.20 h. In group B, the mean duration of active phase in primigravidas was 7.24±1.39 h and in multigravidas was 6.48±1.40 h. In group A, the mean duration of the second stage in a primigravida was 25.5±8.15 min and in a multigravida was 17.38±9.95 min. In group B, the mean duration of the second stage in a primigravida was 41.3±9.6 min, while in a multigravida was 22.72±6.2 h. Discussion: The mean duration of active phase in group A in the primigravida and multigravida was almost similar, showing that induction does not have any effect on the duration of active phase. The mean duration of the second stage of group A in primigravida was 25 min and multipara was 17 min showing that induction reduces the duration of the second stage. Conclusion: Induction of labor when done at the right gestational age for correct indication is beneficial to women as it reduces the complications caused due to the continuation of high-risk pregnancies.

Improving the quality of child-care centres through supportive assessment and ‘communities of practice’ in informal settlements in Nairobi: protocol of a feasibility study

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.

“How about We Give It a Go?”: A Case Study on Supporting Breastfeeding Families in an Australian Child Care Centre

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for six months and continuation of breastfeeding for up to two years. Formal child care has an important role in supporting breastfeeding, as many Australian infants commence care before two years of age. Currently, little is known about support or barriers in child care contexts. The present qualitative instrumental case study explores practices which protect, promote and support breastfeeding at a child care centre located in the Australian Capital Territory’s outer suburbs. Extending from a previously published collective case study, a cultural-institutional focus of analysis was used to explore the roles of proximity, flexibility and communication in supporting breastfeeding within a child care centre located close to an infant’s home. Interviews with centre staff and mothers, triangulated with observations of the centre environment and policy documents provide insight into the environment. Affirming the roles of flexibility in routine and staff rostering and two-way communication, findings suggest longer-term benefits may be derived from selecting a child care centre close to an infant’s home, provided mothers can overcome barriers to breastmilk expression in the workplace. The study recognises the role of non-lactating caregivers in the transition to formal child care, and of the support culture for educators who breastfeed. This study extends the knowledge base of breastfeeding support interventions in the child care setting to inform future research and policy.

Understanding Demand for, and Feasibility of, Centre-based Child-care for Poor Urban Households: A Mixed Methods Study in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Background: Centre-based child-care has potential to provide multiple health and development benefits to children, families and societies. With rapid urbanisation, increasing numbers of low-income women work with reduced support from extended family, leaving a child-care vacuum in many low- and middle-income countries. We aimed to understand perceptions of, and demand for, centre-based child-care in Dhaka, Bangladesh among poor, urban households, and test the feasibility of delivering sustainable centre-based child-care. Methods: We used sequential mixed methods including a household survey (n=222) and qualitative interviews with care-givers (n=16), community leaders (n=5) and policy-makers (n=5). We co-produced and piloted a centre-based child-care model over ten-months, documenting implementation. A co-design focus group with mothers, parents’ meetings, and qualitative interviews with child-care centre users (n=5), non-users (n=3), ex-users (n=3) and staff (2) were used to refine the model and identify implementation issues. Results: We found 24% (95% CI: 16%,37%) of care-givers reported turning-down paid work due to lack of child-care and 84% (95% CI:74%, 91%) reported wishing to use centre-based child-care and were willing to pay up to 283 Takka (~$3.30) per month. Adjusted odds of reported need for child-care among slum households were 3.8 times those of non-slum households (95% CI: 1.4, 10). Implementation highlighted that poor households needed free child-care with food provided, presenting feasibility challenges. Meta-inference across quantitative and qualitative findings identified the impact of urban environment on child-care through long working hours, low social capital and fears for child safety. These influences interacted with religious and social norms resulting in caution in using centre-based child-care despite evident need.Conclusion: sustainable provision of centre-based care that focuses on early childhood development requires subsidy and careful design sensitive to the working lives of poor families, particularly women and must respond to the dynamics of the urban environment and community values.

“Can We Have More Hand-Drums?” Preschool Children’s Musical Play in a Program Exploring Diverse Languages

This paper explores the role of play in a research project that documented and elucidated responses to a culturally diverse music program of five preschool-aged children in a child-care centre in Melbourne, Australia. The study was conducted over a period of nine weeks. The music program was conducted playfully, concentrating not only on the musical features and premeditated pedagogical devices, but on children’s contribution to the content and arrangements of the music sessions. The methodology employed in the study was conceptually rooted in the socio-cultural framework. The researcher took into consideration that learning is purported in a social environment and changes in character within a variety of social contexts. The social aspects of play were well-captured in the large number of Learning Stories that were written about and with the children. The Learning Story method of gathering, analysing and planning from data was employed as this socio-cultural approach encompassed contextual factors and celebrated children’s active role in the process of learning within and beyond the music program. The analysis of Learning Stories revealed that children’s learning is more profound when there are opportunities for play, on their own terms; this consideration is strongly recommended for future research projects.