Publication year: 2011
Source: Children and Youth Services Review, In Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available online 22 July 2011
Henry, Tran , Adam, Winsler
Given large numbers of children attending center-based child care and considerable teacher and child mobility, it is important to study correlates and outcomes of children experiencing a change in their primary teacher/caregiver and/or a change to a different child care center. The present study investigated teacher and center stability in a group of 3,238 urban, ethnically diverse, low-income, four-year-olds receiving subsidies to attend center-based child care. Children were individually assessed for cognitive and language development at the beginning and end of the prekindergarten year. Parents and teachers rated children on their socio-emotional skills and behavior at both time points. Children…
Highlights: ► The present study investigated teacher and center stability in a group of 3,238 urban, ethnically diverse, low-income, four-year-olds receiving subsidies to attend center-based child care. ► Children who experienced a change in their primary caregiver from the beginning to the end of the school year (41% of the sample) showed less growth in initiative for learning and attachment/closeness with adults over time and scored lower on most indices of school readiness compared to those that had a stable caregiver. ► Children who moved to a different center during the year scored lower on teacher-reported initiative and attachment. ► African American children who switched centers were particularly at-risk for poorer outcomes, and boys who experienced a change in primary teacher, in particular, showed slower growth in cognitive development.