IN CONFIDENCE PILOT VERSION ONLY Centre-based child carer questionnaire Child aged 0-12 months Thank you for helping us with the Growing Up in Australia study. This questionnaire is for the person who is the main carer of child who is a participant in the Growing Up in Australia study. That is, working in this child’s room/group regularly. Please fill out this questionnaire with regard to yourself and the child named below, thinking about the child while he/she is in your group. Child’s name: ____________________________ PLEASE TIME HOW MANY MINUTES IT TAKES YOU TO COMPLETE THIS SURVEY AND RECORD THIS ON THE BACK PAGE. When completed, please put into the reply paid envelope and mail it back to us. All the information you provide will remain totally confidential. This means that it will never be used in any way that identifies individuals, children or families. Participation in this study is voluntary. If you have any questions or want more information about the study you can contact Colmar Brunton Social Research on freecall 1800 004 446 and mention the Growing Up in Australia study. Child ID:……………………………… 1 PLEASE RECORD START TIME |__|__| HRS |__|__| MINS SECTION 1: CENTRE/SERVICE CHARACTERISTICS The following questions are about the centre, program or school in which you work. 1. In what sector of early childhood care and education is your program based? Please read the definitions beside each option. Mark one option that best describes your program. 1. Long day care program - A centre-based child care program: The centre may be 2. 3. 4. 5. open up to 8 hours a day, five days a week and across at least 48 weeks of the year. Long day care program in a school setting - A centre-based child care program available only during the school terms for up to 8 hours a day, five days a week: Occasional care program - A centre-based program that provides child care on a short-term basis. Children, within the age range of 0 to 5 years, may attend half-days or full-days for a limited number of sessions per week. Multi-purpose centre - A centre-based program that provides long day care in addition to other child and family services, such as early intervention, family day care, family support. Include Multi-functional Aboriginal Children’s Services in this option. Other (Please describe) _____________________________________________ 2. Under what organisational basis does your program operate? Please mark one option that best describes the administrative/organisational basis under which your program operates. 1. 2. 3. 4. Government school: State or territory government Independent school: Non-denominational Independent school: Catholic education Independent school: Sponsored by a religious faith other than Catholic 5. Non-profit organisation: community-based 6. Non-profit organisation: sponsored by a religious faith 7. For-profit organisation [Private or franchised centre, commercial child care chain.] 8. Local government 9. Higher education institution [University or TAFE college] 10. Employer-sponsored child care [Private company] 11. Other (Please describe) _____________________________________________ If your program is located in a long day care centre, please respond to the following question. 3. Is your centre registered with the National Childcare Accreditation Council? Yes [ ] No [ ] 2 SECTION 2: CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ROOM/GROUP These questions are about your group. Please complete these questions for the group/room where the focus child spends most of his/her time. 1. On average, how many children are in the room/group on any day that the focus child attends? Number of children _______ 2. On average, what is the primary age range within the room/group that the focus child attends? (Please describe the general age range in years, e.g., birth to 2 years, 1 to 3 years). Age range of children _____months or _____ years TO ____ years 3. On average, how many adults, in paid positions, are typically in your room at a time when most children who are enrolled in the program have arrived? Number of adults ______________________ 4. On average, how many qualified staff are typically in your room when most children who are enrolled in the program have arrived? (that is, staff with certificates, diplomas or above) Number of adults ________________________ 5. On average, how many children in the class or group are from a non-English speaking family background? Number of children _____________ 6. How many children in your current class or group have a diagnosed disability (e.g., intellectual, sensory, physical, autistic spectrum disorder, developmental delay)? Number of children _____________ SECTION 3: YOUR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND The next questions ask for demographic information and information about your educational and professional experiences. 1 Are you [ ] Male? [ ] Female? 2 What was your age last birthday? _________ years 3 3 What is your current work status? Paid, full-time (35 hours or more per week) Paid, part-time (less than 35 hours per week) Unpaid, full-time Unpaid, part-time Other (please specify) ____________________________ 4 Counting this year, for how many years have you worked in child care settings or other early education programs (eg., preschool, kindergarten, Years 1 to 3 in a school setting)? (Working means 10 hours or more a week in paid and unpaid positions and includes your time in this position). Number of years _____________ 5. Counting this year, for how long have you worked in this centre/program, even if your position within the centre has changed? Number of years _________ 6. What is the highest educational qualification you have completed? Please mark only one option? Masters or Doctoral Degree Graduate Diploma and Graduate Certificate (completed after a Bachelor degree) Bachelor Degree Advanced Diploma or Associate Degree Diploma Certificate Secondary Education Other 7. If you have completed a post-secondary qualification, what is the field of study of your highest level qualification? Please mark one or more options. (but do not include in-service training here). Teaching (early childhood related) Teaching (primary) Nursing (including Mothercraft Nursing) Child Care Certificate – Basic (one year trained) Child care Certificate/Associate Diploma (2 years trained) Diploma or Bachelor in Child Care (3 year or more trained) Other qualifications relevant to the operation of a child care centre eg. Other Teaching, Accountancy, Psychology, Social Work and Business Management None of the above 8. In the last 12 months, what is your best estimate of the number of hours of professional development activities (e.g., in-service programs, pupil-free days, 4 seminars, workshops, and conferences, short courses)? Base your estimate on hours of attendance with one day of participation as equal to 6 hours. MARK ONE ONLY (but do not include training towards qualifications included in previous question.) 9 Nil 1 to 6 hours (1 days) 7 to 12 hours (2 days) 13 to 18 hours (3 days) 19 to 24 hours (4 days) More then 25 hours (5 or more days) Are you currently engaged in a formal course of study for a qualification that will expand your skills and knowledge in child care or early childhood education (as in Q7 above)? No Yes (please specify) _________________________________________ Below are a number of statements that characterise work environments. For each statement, please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with each statement as it applies to your centre or school. Mark one option for each statement. Strongly disagree Disagree Neither Agree agree nor disagree Strongly agree 10. Staff can rely on colleagues for 1 support and assistance when needed. 2 3 4 5 11. Staff have a clear understanding 1 of their roles and responsibilities. 2 3 4 5 12. Staff are able to contribute to 1 decision-making about policies and practices in the centre. 13. Staff go about their work with 1 enthusiasm. 2 3 4 5 2 3 4 5 14. My personal philosophy and 1 goals are in agreement with those of the centre. 15. The centre environment 1 provides a positive working environment for staff. 2 3 4 5 2 3 4 5 5 SECTION 4 : PROGRAM AND ENVIRONMENT The following questions ask you to indicate the answer that best describes your experiences of providing early childhood education and care. While you may not find an answer that exactly matches your experience, please choose the number that comes closest to describing how you feel. How much of the following describes the work you do with children, on a typical day? Not at Some Quite a Very all what lot much 1. sitting and playing with children 1 2 3 4 2. singing, telling stories, reading books 1 2 3 4 3. managing problem behaviour 1 2 3 4 4. giving individual attention in routine care (feeding, toileting, dressing, putting to sleep, etc) 5. organising space, equipment, food and drink 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 6. teaching good health practices (hand washing, healthy eating, sun protection, etc) 7. active outdoor play (running, ball play, etc) 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 8. watching or supervising children’s play 1 2 3 4 9. participating in children’s pretend play 1 2 3 4 The following questions ask about the program, space, facilities and equipment in centrebased child care services. Please answer each question by marking the box that best describes the room you work in. Different programs organise their space in different ways, especially as far as providing separate spaces for infant-toddler play activities. Which of the following applies to your centre? 10. Open space is provided for active play Occasionally For short periods each day For about half the day All day 11. Soft areas, eg cushions, cosy corners, are provided for quiet play Occasionally For short periods each day For about half the day 6 All day Sometimes budgets don’t allow child-care providers to purchase all the toys and materials they would like. Which best describes your room in terms of educational materials relating to language development, including cloth and hardpage books, as well as music tapes, puppets, and picture cards? 12. Books and materials to stimulate language development are available to the children Occasionally For short periods each day For about half the day All day 13. The number of books and materials to stimulate language development in the room is Less than 1 per child in the room At least 1 per child in the room 2 or more per child in the room 14. On an average day, how many minutes per day does someone read books or sing songs to the children? ________________ minutes 15. How often do the children watch television or videos? Every day A few times a week A few times a month A few times a year or never When it comes to toys and equipment involving fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, such as posting boxes, nesting cups, pop-up toys, or puzzles, which best describes your room? 16. Children have access to this type of equipment Occasionally For short periods each day For about half the day All day When it comes to art activities and creative materials, such as crayons, drawing, play doh, paint, which of the following statements best describes your room? 17. Children can access art materials Occasionally For short periods each day For about half the day All day 7 When it comes to materials for pretend play, such as dolls, prams, cars, home play, and dressups, such as hats or handbags, which best describes your room? 18. Children have access to this type of equipment Occasionally For short periods each day For about half the day All day SECTION 5 : CHILD AND FAMILY FOCUS The following questions focus on the child and family participating in the Growing Up in Australia study. 1. How long has the focus child been in your centre/service? Number of months _________ 2 (a) Has the focus child received any additional services to support his/her learning or development while being in your class group? [ ] Yes [ ] No 2(b) If yes, please specify the nature of any extra services the child has received _______________________________________ 3. During the time that the focus child has been in your group, how often has a parent of the child had informal discussion with you (e.g. at pick-up or drop-off times) Every day A few times a week A few times a month Never Not applicable - opportunities not available SECTION 6: CHILD SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES The following questions focus on the skills and abilities that the child shows in daily activities. 1. Compared with other children, how old would you say this child now acts? His/her own age [___] OR ______months 8 2(a). Do you have any concerns about this child’s learning, development or behaviour? No Don't know Yes 2 (b) If yes, what are your concerns? _____________________________________________________ 3. Compared to other children, do you think this child is: much easier to get on with than average easier to get on with than average about average more difficult to get on with than average much more difficult to get on with than average cannot say The following questions relate to the focus child’s language and play skills. Babies learn language and play skills at different rates, so we would not expect the child to be able to do all of these things. For each question please tick the box that best describes what the child can do. Emotion and Use of Eye Gaze 4 5 6 7 Do you know when the child is happy and when the child is upset? When the child plays with toys, does he/she look at you to see if you are watching? Does the child smile or laugh while looking at you? When you look at and point to a toy across the room, does the child look at it? Not yet Sometimes Often Not yet Sometimes Often Not yet Sometimes Often Not yet Sometimes Often 9 Use of Communication 8 Does the child let you know that he/she needs help or wants an object out of reach? 9 When you are not paying attention to the child, does he/she try to get your attention? 10 Does the child do things just to get you to laugh? 11 Does the child try to get you to notice interesting objects-just to get you to look at the objects, not to get you do anything with them? Use of Gestures Not yet Sometimes Often Not yet Sometimes Often Not yet Sometimes Often Not yet Sometimes Often 12 Does the child pick up objects and give them to you? 13 Does the child show objects to you without giving you the object? 14 Does the child wave to greet people? 15 Does the child point to objects? 16 Does the child nod his/her head to indicate yes? Not yet Sometimes Often Not yet Sometimes Often Not yet Not yet Not yet Sometimes Sometimes Sometimes Often Often Often Use of Objects 17 Does the child show interest in playing Not yet with a variety of objects? 18 About how many of the following objects 0 does the child use appropriately: cup, bottle, bowl, spoon, comb or brush, toothbrush, washcloth, ball, toy vehicle, toy telephone? 19 About how many blocks (or rings) does the None child stack? 20 Does the child pretend to play with toys Not yet (such as feed a stuffed animal, put a doll to sleep, put an animal figure in a vehicle)? Sometimes Often 1-2 3-4 2 Sometimes 3-4 5-8 9+ 5+ Often Source: Infant/Toddler Checklist :- Amy M. Wetherby & Barry M. Prizant © 2001 by Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. All rights reserved. 10 SECTION 7: CARER-CHILD RELATIONSHIP Please reflect on the degree to which each of the following statements currently applies to your relationship with this child. Mark the appropriate number for each item. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. Definitely Not does not really apply I share an affectionate, warm relationship with this 1 2 child. This child and I always seem to be struggling with 1 2 each other (ie, having a hard time getting along). If upset, this child will seek comfort from me. 1 2 This child is uncomfortable with physical affection 1 2 or touch from me. This child reacts strongly to separation from me. 1 2 This child is overly dependent on me. 1 2 This child easily becomes angry at me. 1 2 It is easy to be in tune with what this child is feeling. 1 2 Dealing with this child drains my energy. 1 2 When this child is in a bad mood, I know we're in for 1 2 a long and difficult day. Despite my best efforts, I'm uncomfortable with how 1 2 this child and I get along This child whines or cries when he/she wants 1 2 something from me. My interactions with this child make me feel 1 2 effective and confident. Neutral, Applies Definitely not sure somewhat applies 3 4 5 3 4 5 3 3 4 4 5 5 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 3 4 5 3 4 5 3 4 5 ©1992 Pianta, University of Virginia PLEASE RECORD FINISH TIME |__|__| HRS |__|__| MINS (Complete next page please) 11 CONSENT You are being asked to take part in Growing Up in Australia, a study being run by the Australian Institute of Family Studies on behalf of the Australian Government. The data are being collected by Colmar Brunton Social Research in conjunction with NCS Pearson. All the information collected will be kept strictly confidential (except where it is required to be reported by law and/or there is a risk of harm to yourself or others). The findings from the study will only report group results. No individual information will be released. Participation in this study is voluntary. You will be free to withdraw from the study at any time or choose not to take part in some aspects of the study. Please sign below if you agree to take part at this stage. I agree to participate in this study Child carer _______________________________ ________ Signature Date Name of Centre:………………………………………………………. Address of Centre: ………………………………………………………. ………………………………………………………. Please record how long it took you to fill in this form. __ __ (minutes) Please complete the information below if you have filled in this survey on behalf of the child’s carer. Your name: _________________________ Relationship to child’s carer: ______________________________ Reason for filling in this form on behalf of the child’s carer: ___________________________________________________________________ Thank you for taking the time to fill in this form If you have any questions or want more information about the study you can contact Colmar Brunton Social Research on freecall 1800 004 446 and mention the Growing Up in Australia study. 12