Background

The current study examined whether children in foster care have better cognitive and social-emotional outcomes at kindergarten age when they enroll in formal center-based care and when they receive positive parenting practices at home.

Objective

Two primary questions were addressed: (1) Do children in foster care who attended formal center-based care (including Head Start) have higher cognitive and socio-emotional outcomes than children in foster care who did not attend formal center-based care? (2) Does positive parenting practice promote better cognitive and socio-emotional outcomes?

Participants and setting

Based on the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-K: 2011 data, 299 children in foster care were selected.

Methods

Regression analyses were conducted on children's cognitive and social-emotional scores by types of children's childcare arrangements (formal vs informal care) and positive parenting practices. Active parental involvement was measured based on how frequently parents read books with their children, and authoritarian parenting discipline was measured based on whether parents spanked their children.

Results

Children in foster care who enrolled in formal center-based childcare at pre-school age have higher cognitive and socio-emotional scores at kindergarten age. Positive parenting practice also promotes children's outcomes. Children in foster care who are both enrolled in formal center-based care and experience positive parenting practice had the most positive outcomes. Conclusions.

Parents raising children in foster care should be informed about the positive impacts of certain parenting practices on their children. Foster parents should be connected to available community resources, including formal-center-based preschool programs and required to continuously attend parenting classes to sustain positive impact of parenting practice on foster children.

Background

The current study examined whether children in foster care have better cognitive and social-emotional outcomes at kindergarten age when they enroll in formal center-based care and when they receive positive parenting practices at home.

Objective

Two primary questions were addressed: (1) Do children in foster care who attended formal center-based care (including Head Start) have higher cognitive and socio-emotional outcomes than children in foster care who did not attend formal center-based care? (2) Does positive parenting practice promote better cognitive and socio-emotional outcomes?

Participants and setting

Based on the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-K: 2011 data, 299 children in foster care were selected.

Methods

Regression analyses were conducted on children's cognitive and social-emotional scores by types of children's childcare arrangements (formal vs informal care) and positive parenting practices. Active parental involvement was measured based on how frequently parents read books with their children, and authoritarian parenting discipline was measured based on whether parents spanked their children.

Results

Children in foster care who enrolled in formal center-based childcare at pre-school age have higher cognitive and socio-emotional scores at kindergarten age. Positive parenting practice also promotes children's outcomes. Children in foster care who are both enrolled in formal center-based care and experience positive parenting practice had the most positive outcomes. Conclusions.

Parents raising children in foster care should be informed about the positive impacts of certain parenting practices on their children. Foster parents should be connected to available community resources, including formal-center-based preschool programs and required to continuously attend parenting classes to sustain positive impact of parenting practice on foster children.

背景

目前的研究调查了寄养儿童在幼儿园时参加正式的中心护理以及在家里接受积极的养育做法时是否有更好的认知和社会情感结果。

客观的

解决了两个主要问题：（1）参加正式中心护理（包括 Head Start）的寄养儿童是否比未参加正式中心护理的寄养儿童具有更高的认知和社会情感结果？(2) 积极的养育实践是否能促进更好的认知和社会情感结果？

参加者及设置

根据早期儿童纵向研究-K：2011 年数据，选择了 299 名寄养儿童。

方法

根据儿童保育安排的类型（正式与非正式保育）和积极的养育实践，对儿童的认知和社会情感得分进行回归分析。父母的积极参与程度是根据父母与孩子一起读书的频率来衡量的，专制的养育纪律是根据父母是否打孩子屁股来衡量的。

结果

在学前阶段参加正规托儿中心的寄养儿童在幼儿园时的认知和社会情感得分较高。积极的养育方式也能促进孩子的成长。接受正式的中心护理并经历积极养育实践的寄养儿童获得了最积极的结果。结论。

在寄养家庭中抚养孩子的父母应了解某些养育方式对其孩子的积极影响。寄养父母应与现有的社区资源联系起来，包括以正式中心为基础的学前教育项目，并要求他们不断参加育儿课程，以维持育儿实践对寄养儿童的积极影响。