Policies on Restraint in Statewide Center-Based Child Care Licensing Regulations

• In Event: Thursday Roundtable Session 4:20 pm
  In Roundtable Session: State and District Policies for Equitable Support of Young Children (Table 3)

Abstract

The current study explores how child care licensing regulations for center-based programs address the use of restraint with young children and how these regulations align to federal recommendations (U.S. D.O.E., 2012). A qualitative content analysis (Krippendorff, 2018) of center-based child care licensing regulations reveal great variations in restraint parameters across states, ambiguity in policy language, lack of alignment to federal recommendations, and lack of adequate guidelines for child care providers. The findings of this study are informative in future policy development and advocacy for the safe and equitable treatment of children; particularly children with disabilities and children of color.

Authors

• Stephanie Kuntz, University of Delaware

• Martha J. Buell, University of Delaware