Early Childhood Professional Well-being in Head Start Personnel as a Quality Indicator

• In Event: Well-Being in Early Head Start and Head Start Programs: A Multidimensional Perspective

Abstract

Recruitment and retention of qualified individuals to meet workforce demands are constant challenges in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE). Up to a third of the child care workforce leaves, or ‘turns over’ annually. Turnover leaves administrators short-staffed and is detrimental to quality because it impacts consistency in relational-care systems. Turnover is particularly worrisome in Early Head Start/Head Start (EHS/EH) where consistency in relationships and stable environments are critical. Research shows turnover impacts development and learning outcomes in children in EHS/HS, resulting in decreased language, literacy, and social-emotional development. The researchers of this study argue that even ‘risk of turnover,’ as measured by job satisfaction and child care professionals’ thoughts about leaving their positions or the field can impact quality by diminishing their ‘capacity to care.’ Numerous studies conclude that negative perceptions of child care workplace realities may compromise professionals’ overall well-being, including physical, cognitive, psychological, and emotional states related to their work settings, thereby impacting their performance within it.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the risk of turnover (job dissatisfaction, intentions to leave position or profession) in a nation-wide sample of EHS/HS professionals through the lens of early childhood professional well-being (ECPW). ECPW was conceptually framed using an adaptation of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (Maslow, 1943) and Vygotsky’s (1934/1987) perezhivanie (cognitive plus emotional experience). Research questions directed testing to refine the researchers’ earlier conceptualizations of ECPW; provide information about how ECPW and risk of turnover vary according to professional role and background (education and experience); and examination of ECPW as predictive of risk of turnover.
The sample was recruited with the cooperation of the National Head Start Association (NHSA) who distributed English and Spanish versions of the questionnaire via email. The ECPW questionnaire (ECPW-Q) requiring Likert-scale responses and open-ended questions was completed by 1,166 EHS/HS professionals representing all regions of the U.S. and included professionals from EHS/HS settings including teachers, administrators, therapists and social workers, and auxiliary personnel. The researchers considered them all key adults who impact the lives of children and families by providing care, education, and essential resources.

Through EFA, three ECPW factors were identified: Community Belonging (α = 0.90); Safety & Security (α = 0.84); and Professional Identity (α = 0.76). ANOVA results indicated significant differences in group means for professional roles, (F(3, 934) = 7.07, p < .001), for educational attainment (F(2, 969) = 3.47, p < .05), and for years of experience in the field, (F(3,946) = 3.91, p <.01) with administrators, and professionals with college and graduate degrees and those over 20 years of experience in their settings and the field experienced the highest levels of ECPW. SEM confirmed that ECPW was predictive of risk of turnover: ECPW scores significantly predicted an increase in one’s satisfaction with their current position (β= 0.79, p < .001), intention to stay in the profession (β= 0.44, p < .001), and intention to stay in the field (β= 0.66, p < .001). Qualitative analysis added depth to interpretations and consideration of implications.

Group Authors

Kate McCormick, Mary McMullen and Melissa S. C. Lee

Authors

• Kate McCormick, SUNY Cortland
  Presenting Author

• Mary McMullen, Indiana University
  Non-Presenting Author