Suspension and expulsion in Colorado early care and education settings: Child, program, and community-level predictors.

Expulsion presents a significant risk in Early Care and Education (ECE) settings due to its association with early disadvantage and frequency of use. A statewide survey was conducted to characterize ECE suspension and expulsion (S/E) in Colorado. Child, program, and community-level factors were examined as predictors of S/E, alongside preventative intervention supports capable of reducing S/E. Six hundred and sixty three licensed child care programs participated in the survey, providing information on 19,848 enrolled children, 312 suspensions, and 74 expulsions. A series of multilevel hierarchical regressions were conducted, examining predictors for S/E. Children with IEPs/IFSPs were disproportionately suspended; 2-3-year-olds were disproportionately expelled; and boys, 5-6-year-olds, and children with disabilities were disproportionately suspended and expelled. Center-based programs, lower quality ratings, and "zero tolerance" policies predicted greater use of suspension. In contrast, school-district affiliation and knowledge of how to access infant and early childhood mental health consultation (IECMHC) decreased suspension. Lower levels of regional child poverty predicted higher use of expulsion. Affiliation with a school-district, IECMH consultant-led training, and use of quality coaches predicted decreased expulsion. This study identifies the need for ongoing protection for children with IEPs/ IFSPs and the preventative interventions that mitigate risk for S/E.

Introducción. La expulsión presenta un riesgo significativo en el marco del Temprano Cuidado y Educación (ECE) debido a su asociación con tempranas desventajas y la frecuencia de uso. Una encuesta a nivel estatal se llevó a cabo para caracterizar la suspensión y expulsión de ECE (S/E) en Colorado. Asuntos relacionados con el niño, el programa y de nivel comunitario se examinaron como factores de predicción de (S/E), junto con apoyos de intervención para prevenir, capaces de reducir S/E. Métodos. Participaron en la encuesta 663 programas de cuidado infantil autorizados, lo cual aportó información sobre 19,848 niños matriculados, 312 suspensiones y 74 expulsiones. Se llevó a cabo una serie de regresiones jerárquicas de niveles múltiples, examinando así los factores de predicción de S/E. Resultados. A los niños con participación en programas o planes IEP/IFSP se les suspendió de manera desproporcionada; niños entre los dos y tres años fueron desproporcionalmente expulsados; y varones de cinco a seis años, y niños con discapacidades fueron desproporcionalmente suspendidos y expulsados. Los programas con base en un centro, los más bajos puntajes de evaluación de la calidad y las políticas de 'tolerancia cero' predijeron el mayor uso de la suspensión. En contraste, la afiliación a un distrito escolar y el conocimiento de cómo tener acceso a la consulta de salud mental infantil y la temprana niñez (IECMHC) redujo las suspensiones. Los más bajos niveles de pobreza regional de niños predijeron el más alto uso de la expulsión. La afiliación a un distrito escolar, el entrenamiento de consultores de IECMH, así como el uso de entrenadores calificados predijeron una reducción de las expulsiones. Conclusiones. Este estudio identifica la necesidad de una continuada protección para niños en programas o planes IEP/IFSP y las intervenciones de prevención que mitigan el riesgo de S/E.

INTRODUCTION: L'expulsion présente un risque important pour les contextes de Soins Précoces et Education (en anglais Early Care and Education, abrégé ici ECE) du fait de son lien à un désavantage précoce et la fréquence de l'utilisation. Un sondage au niveau de l'état a été fait afin de caractériser la suspension ECE et l'expulsion (S/E) dans l'état du Colorado aux Etats-Unis. L'enfant, le programme et les facteurs aux niveau de la communauté ont été examinés en tant que facteurs de prédiction de la (S/E), en parallèle avec des soutiens d'une intervention préventive capable de réduire la S/E. Méthodes. 663 programmes de crèches accréditées ont participé au questionnaire, offrant des renseignements sur 19848 enfants inscrits, 312 suspensions et 74 expulsions. Une série de régressions hiérarchiques à niveaux multiples a été faite, examinant les facteurs de prédiction pour la S/E. Résultats. Les enfants avec des plans IEP/IFSP (Plan d'Enseignement Individualisé/Plan Individualisé de Service à la Famille) ont été suspendus de manière disproportionnée ; les enfants de deux à trois ans ont été expulsés de manière disproportionnée, et les enfants avec des handicaps ont été suspendus et expulsée de manière disproportionnée. Les programmes centres (centrés sur une condition), les cotes de qualité inférieure et les politiques de « zéro tolérance ¼ ont prédit une plus grande utilisation de la suspension. Par contre, l'affiliation à un district académique et des connaissances sur la manière d'accéder à la consultation de santé mentale du nourrisson et de la petite enfance (IECMHC) ont fait décroître le taux de suspension. Des niveaux plus bas de pauvreté de l'enfant régionale ont prédit une utilisation plus élevée de la suspension. L'affiliation à un district académique, la formation faite par un consultant IECMH et l'utilisation de formateurs de qualité ont prédit une expulsion moins élevée. Cette étude identifie le besoin de protection continue des enfants avec des plans IEP/IFSP et d'interventions préventives qui mitigent le risque de S/E.

Characterizing Family Contextual Factors and Relationships with Child Behavior and Sleep Across the Buffering Toxic Stress Consortium.

The Buffering Toxic Stress (BTS) consortium included six sites in locations that varied widely in racial/ethnic composition and population density. Each site tested a promising parent-child intervention designed to supplement Early Head Start (EHS) services and prevent "toxic stress." To better understand family risk in a large and diverse EHS sample, studies gathered extensive data on family risk exposure, including demographic risk factors (single mother, unemployed, less than high school education or its equivalent, and neighborhood safety), income-to-needs ratio, household resource constraints, perceptions of economic hardship and pressure, caregiver mental health, and caregiver-reported dysfunctional parent-child interactions. Results presented here for all six sites offer context for the more targeted studies in this special issue. Average levels of family characteristics and child behavior varied by site. We also characterized associations between family characteristics, observer-rated child temperament, and child outcomes (i.e., caregiver-reported child behavior problems and behavioral sleep quality), controlling for child age; these relationships were similar across sites. Demographic risk and caregiver mental health problems were positively associated with child behavior problems, with low income-to-needs ratio and increased financial strain relating to behavioral problems in infancy and toddlerhood. Caregiver mental health problems, financial strain, and social and affect temperament dimensions were related to increased behavioral sleep problems. Dysfunctional parent-child interactions and household resource constraints did not demonstrate statistically significant associations. Findings suggest helpful targets to increase effectiveness of parent-child interventions in early childhood on behavior and sleep outcomes.

Parental buffering in the context of poverty: positive parenting behaviors differentiate young children's stress reactivity profiles.

Experiencing poverty increases vulnerability for dysregulated hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis functioning and compromises long-term health. Positive parenting buffers children from HPA axis reactivity, yet this has primarily been documented among families not experiencing poverty. We tested the theorized power of positive parenting in 124 parent-child dyads recruited from Early Head Start (Mage = 25.21 months) by examining child cortisol trajectories using five samples collected across a standardized stress paradigm. Piecewise latent growth models revealed that positive parenting buffered children's stress responses when controlling for time of day, last stress task completed, and demographics. Positive parenting also interacted with income such that positive parenting was especially protective for cortisol reactivity in families experiencing greater poverty. Findings suggest that positive parenting behaviors are important for protecting children in families experiencing low income from heightened or prolonged physiologic stress reactivity to an acute stressor.