Innovative Intervention Approaches to Promote Holistic Well-Being, Competence, and Retention of Early Childhood Educators

Session Type: Symposium

Abstract

Early childhood education (ECE) educators face significant challenges, including low compensation, limited support, and high stress, leading to compromised well-being and high turnover. This symposium introduces three innovative, evidence-based interventions designed to promote the well-being, financial stability, and retention of early educators, with two papers focusing on HS educators. Presentations will include: (1) findings from two local wage supplement initiatives in California; (2) impacts of a context-responsive, collaborative culture-of-care model in HS settings; and (3) outcomes from a tiered holistic wellness intervention across urban, rural, and Tribal Nation HS sites. Together, these approaches address multiple levels of influence on educator well-being, competence, and retention and offer critical insights into supporting and strengthening the ECE workforce.

Sub Unit

• SIG-Early Education and Child Development

Chair

• Kyong-Ah Kwon, University of Oklahoma

Papers

• Wage Supports in Early Care and Education: Educator Perspectives on Relief and Remaining Needs - Yoonjeon Kim, University of California - Berkeley; Wanzi Muruvi, University of California - Berkeley; Anna Powell, University of California - Berkeley

• Promoting a Culture of Care: Organization-level Variation in the Impact of Well-Being First on Head Start Educators’ Well-Being - Lieny Jeon, University of Virginia; Shuai Li, University of Virginia; Xiangyu Zhao, University of Virginia; Sarah Chapman, University of Virginia

• Head Start Educators’ Well-being: Impact Results from a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial of a Holistic Wellness Intervention - Timothy G. Ford, University of Oklahoma; Kyong-Ah Kwon, University of Oklahoma; Carolyn Cheema, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center; Mia Kile, University of Oklahoma; Hongwu Wang, University of Florida

Session Organizer

• Kyong-Ah Kwon, University of Oklahoma

Discussant

• Sara E. Rimm-Kaufman, University of Virginia