TY - JOUR
T1 - Physical Activity Programming in Family Child Care Homes
T2 - Providers' Perceptions of Practices and Barriers
AU - Fees, Bronwyn
AU - Trost, Stewart
AU - Bopp, Melissa
AU - Dzewaltowski, David A.
N1 - Funding Information:
Limited money to purchase appropriate equipment was identified in 3 of 4 groups. One provider stated, “There is a lot of neat stuff out there that you do get good ideas and great things that you would just love to get but you can't. You don't have the funds to get. And I know curriculum, it gets quite expensive. If something's getting old and it needs to get replaced, and [sic] you may not have the funds to replace it at the time. So you just have to do away with it, and in the process the kids lose out on something that they really enjoy.” Providers in all groups pinpointed the recent loss of a state-funded grant opportunity for FCCHs for equipment and curriculum. One group noted that no grant opportunities exist to provide financial support to private for-profit programs: “Over the years I've found that there are a lot of grants and funding available, but it's all available for nonprofit day care centers. Whereas us, even though we are home day care, it is very hard for us to be classified as a nonprofit center, and why do we want to be classified as a nonprofit center?” Providers reported no time to look for grants or to prepare applications.
Funding Information:
Overwhelmingly, the most needed resource identified was training on PA. Desirable characteristics of a training included: informational but informal sessions (relaxed atmosphere); hands-on, with opportunities to practice; opportunities for networking with one another; and suggestions on working with infants. Secondly, 2 groups of providers stated a need for assistance with programming to address the challenges of planning for mixed-age groups. In the words of one provider, “I like [curriculum] books, because of having mixed-age groups. When I do a lesson plan, I do it fast and I'm thinking of the middle age group, and I wish there were books that said, ‘To adapt this to this age group, do this.’ Because when you have to come up with that on your own, sometimes you're really struggling.” Finally, financial support was identified again. Three groups mentioned they hoped for reinstatement of the small grant program offered by the state to purchase equipment for child care programs including private for-profit homes.
PY - 2009/7
Y1 - 2009/7
N2 - Objective: To examine family child care home (FCCH) providers' perceptions of appropriate physical activity (PA), current practices, and perceived barriers to inclusion of PA within their programs. Design: A trained facilitator lead 4 focus group sessions of FCCH providers. Questions addressed providers' planning for PA, resources and barriers, and perceptions of children's engagement. Setting: Family child care homes. Participants: 32 FCCH providers (100% female) caring for children 6 weeks to 5 years old in predominantly mixed-age programs. Phenomenon of Interest: Types of and extent to which PA was offered for children and perceived barriers to PA in this setting. Analysis: Authors coded and analyzed transcriptions based on a socioecological framework using qualitative data analysis software. Results: Majority of providers reported running and dancing to music as the most common PA, generally in an unstructured context. Frequency varied from none to twice a day. Few providers reported planning intentionally for PA; any plans followed children's interests. Barriers to inclusion of PA included personal, programming, parent, environmental, and financial reasons. Providers requested training on PA, particularly ideas for experiences in mixed-age groups. Conclusions and Implications: Type, frequency, consistency, and duration of PA among FCCH homes vary widely. Implications include training on PA and resources tailored to the unique characteristics of family child care homes.
AB - Objective: To examine family child care home (FCCH) providers' perceptions of appropriate physical activity (PA), current practices, and perceived barriers to inclusion of PA within their programs. Design: A trained facilitator lead 4 focus group sessions of FCCH providers. Questions addressed providers' planning for PA, resources and barriers, and perceptions of children's engagement. Setting: Family child care homes. Participants: 32 FCCH providers (100% female) caring for children 6 weeks to 5 years old in predominantly mixed-age programs. Phenomenon of Interest: Types of and extent to which PA was offered for children and perceived barriers to PA in this setting. Analysis: Authors coded and analyzed transcriptions based on a socioecological framework using qualitative data analysis software. Results: Majority of providers reported running and dancing to music as the most common PA, generally in an unstructured context. Frequency varied from none to twice a day. Few providers reported planning intentionally for PA; any plans followed children's interests. Barriers to inclusion of PA included personal, programming, parent, environmental, and financial reasons. Providers requested training on PA, particularly ideas for experiences in mixed-age groups. Conclusions and Implications: Type, frequency, consistency, and duration of PA among FCCH homes vary widely. Implications include training on PA and resources tailored to the unique characteristics of family child care homes.
KW - child care
KW - obesity
KW - overweight
KW - physical activity
KW - prevention
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=66249092450&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=66249092450&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jneb.2008.01.013
DO - 10.1016/j.jneb.2008.01.013
M3 - Article
C2 - 19508932
AN - SCOPUS:66249092450
VL - 41
SP - 268
EP - 273
JO - Journal of Nutrition Education
JF - Journal of Nutrition Education
SN - 1499-4046
IS - 4
ER -