Illusion and Reality in Community Research on Day Care

• Main Authors: Fowler, William, Kahn, Nasim
• Format: Paper
• Language: English
• Published: 20.04.1976
• Subjects: Child Caregivers; Child Rearing; Community Role; Comparative Analysis; Cost Effectiveness; Day Care; Educational Assessment; Employed Women; Financial Support; Home Visits; Infant Behavior; Infants; Measurement Techniques; Mothers; Ontario (Toronto); Parent Attitudes; Parent Role; Program Evaluation; Public Support; Student Teacher Ratio; Canada (Toronto)

This paper outlines the design and outcomes of an investigation comparing a day care program and home-rearing of infants and preschool children and discusses at length some issues involved in day care research. The study proposed to develop and evaluate a program at a Toronto municipal day care center which accepted infants, and compare the children's development over a 5-year span with a sample of home-reared children matched in pairs on selected characteristics. A total sample of approximately 60 infants (in successive cohorts) and home-reared mates was studied for varying periods. Day care infants ranged from 6-18 months at entry, from predominantly single-parent working-mother families of limited income, high school education, multiple ethnicity and recent immigrant status. Home-reared families were mainly intact. The dual program consisted of: (1) the day care component, with inservice caregiver and curriculum development; and (2) a parent guidance component, with a full-time parent guidance worker visiting homes from one to three more times a month. Four main types of activity defined were: basic care routines, play, planned teacher activities and excursions. Both children and parents were assessed regularly at entry and at six-month intervals on a battery of measures. Findings reported focus on quantitative outcomes of the children's competence decelopment. The investigation suggests that multiple adult-child and peer relations in day care facilitate development as well or better than home care alone, particularly during infancy. Among the other issues discussed are research funding and planning problems and conflicts over the design and nature of research. (BF)