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Canadian Press
THE CONVERSATION
This article was originally published in The Conversation, a source of independent, non-profit news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. rice field. Disclosure information is available on the original site.
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Author: Samantha Burns, Ph.D. Student in Developmental Psychology and Education, University of Toronto. Calpanaa Jegatheeswaran, Doctoral Student, Developmental Psychology and Education, University of Toronto; Michal Perlman, Professor of Applied Psychology and Human Development, University of Toronto. Petr Varmuza, University of Toronto Ontario Institute of Education, Perlman Lab, Assistant Researcher, and Sumayya Saleem, University of Toronto Developmental Psychology and Education, Ph.D. students
High quality Early childhood education and care services provide children with warm and nurturing interactions, providing ample opportunities for children to play, promote intellectual and emotional growth, and develop important social skills. increase.
Early childhood education and care are at risk because the constraints faced by disadvantaged families can reduce the ability of parents to provide similar growth opportunities in their homes. It's not surprising that it has been shown to have the best impact on the family.
Studies show that unstable child care (for example, children who move from one care provider to another in a short period of time or experience multiple arrangements at the same time) is a mental health problem. Higher attack rates for children and associated with negative consequences such as decline.
According to our own research, a stable history of early childhood education and care may have mitigated the negative effects of pandemics on mental health in some children. ..
In our society, we need to shift all children, especially those in low-income households, to prioritize stable, high-quality early learning and access to care to prosper and grow. there is. However, current Ontario childcare subsidy policies do not prioritize childcare stability for low-income households.
Pandemic Mental Health Impact
Long-term (long-term) for 183 low-income mothers and their young children in Toronto We conducted a survey. We investigated changes in the mental health of children in the first eight months starting in the spring of 2020, from about two years before the pandemic to the beginning of the pandemic.
To understand why some kids were doing better than others in the early days of the pandemic they wanted to try. At this point, the children who participated in the survey were in kindergarten up to first grade.
At both stages of the survey, parents reported on their child's mental health using the child's mental health index. This data could be used to profile changes in mental health for COVID-19.
It was found that 38% of children experienced an improvement in mental health after the onset of the pandemic. After examining the data to rule out other potential influential factors, it was found that children in this group were likely to have a stable early learning and parenting history prior to the pandemic. ..
Some implications of our research
Our research is an important plus for stable learning and care for young children Add evidence to existing studies demonstrating the effectiveness of this, and how this can serve as a protective factor in the face of major life stress factors.
Ontario's current policies on early learning and childcare subsidies increase the potential for educational and childcare instability and can have detrimental consequences for children.
The Ontario subsidy system pays the difference between the total amount of childcare services and the parent's contribution, as determined by the officially established state.
In Ontario, unlike some states, this is not a fixed percentage or fixed amount. There is no upper limit on maximum subsidies, so parents can choose quality early learning and care, regardless of the actual cost of care. However, due to limited funding and lack of space, access to the subsidized space is not a guaranteed right for Ontario families.
Subsidies penalize family change
In Ontario, subsidy funding is a state-to-local service The money will be sent to the municipality that oversees the offer.
Subsidy eligibility criteria vary slightly from municipality to municipality. In Toronto, for example, parents have "special needs" outlined in the Child Care and Early Years Act to work full-time or go to school to receive early learning and care subsidies. You need to give birth to a child that is considered.
Parents can lose subsidies for a variety of reasons unrelated to their needs. For example, if you lose your job, take childcare leave because you have another child, or quit your job to take care of it. Other family.
For low-income households, loss of subsidies means loss of childcare space. In Ontario, preschool children average $ 14,000 and children under the age of 18 cost up to $ 19,100. Year.
For families, losing subsidies can lead to instability in caring for their children. This means that they lose the friends, everyday life and educators they have formed, causing dramatic disruption to the lives of young children.
These losses are especially difficult for children in resource-poor families where parents may be dealing with stressors such as unemployment or the birth of another child.
New Agreement Does Not Solve Problems
New Canada-Ontario Early and Early Learning and Childcare Agreement, Above at $ 12 Price per Day It does not alleviate the problem of.
Low-income households who cannot afford the discounted rate are subject to the disciplinary restrictions imposed by existing subsidy rules. Not only is this terribly unfair, but it is counterproductive given the benefits of providing stable, quality care to children in disadvantaged families.
Subsidy policies must adopt this view and often do not punish families for situations beyond their control.
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Samantha Burns is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.
Michal Perlman is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanitarian Research Council and the City of Toronto.
Calpanaa Jegatheeswaran, Petr Varmuza, and Sumayya Saleem will not work, consult, own shares, or receive funds for any company or organization that will benefit from this article. .. ..
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This article has been republished by The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Disclosure information is available on the original site. Read the original article:
https://theconversation.com/low-income-families-should-not-lose-chil https://theconversation.com/low-income-families
