Process quality for children under three years in early child care and family child care in Germany

ABSTRACT

Over the last few decades, research has consistently shown that process quality in child care centers and family child care varies substantially, but is mostly at a mediocre level. Based on the NUBBEK sample (National Study on Education, Learning and Upbringing in Early Childhood), an expanded model of process quality tests the influence of region, structural characteristics of educator and setting, educator’s personality and educational beliefs on process quality for children under the age of three years. Process quality was rated with the Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale (ITERS-R) in 113 infant/toddler classrooms and 105 mixed age classrooms in center-based care serving children from two to seven years. Further, process quality of 138 family child care providers was measured with the Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale (FCCERS-R). Regression analysis indicated that process quality in center-based care was best explained by caregiver background and teacher personality. Process quality in family child care was mainly explained by educational beliefs operationalized as caregiver sensitivity.

KEYWORDS:

• Process quality
• early childhood education and care
• family child care
• personality traits
• caregiver sensitivity

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Funding

The NUBBEK study ‘Nationale Untersuchung zur Bildung, Betreuung und Erziehung in der frühen Kindheit/National Study on Education, Learning and Upbringing in Early Childhood’ (doi:10.4232/1.12297) was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ), the Robert Bosch Foundation, the Jacobs Foundation and the Federal States (Länder) of Bavaria, Brandenburg, Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia.

Notes on contributors

Andrea G Eckhardt is a professor at the Hochschule Zittau/Görlitz. Her research interests include pedagogical quality of child care, professional development, and early education programs in early childhood education and care.

Franziska Egert is a scientist at the State Institute of Early Childhood Research – (IFP Bayern). Her research regards the effectiveness of professional development, early education programs, and language interventions for mono- and multi-lingual children in early childhood.

Acknowledgment

We gratefully thank the many ECEC educators, child care providers and families who participated in our study.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.