plotting a course towards high quality caregiver interaction shores… oceans of caring national...

Plotting a Course Towards High Quality Caregiver Interaction Shores…

Oceans of Caring National Conference June 16th, 2007

What is the Caregiver Interaction Scale?

“A recognized, reliable tool that gathers information on the affective tone of a program for young children”.

Plotting a Course for High Quality Caregiver Interaction Shores…


Information about the

CIS Tool:

• Scale has 23 Descriptors

• 3 categories that measure “interaction”

• 4 levels of ratings


Sensitivity:

“The extent to which the adult’s behaviour is warm, attentive, and engaged with the children”.


Harshness:

“The extent to which the adult sounds irritated, critical, or hostile when speaking with children or demonstrates threatening or punitive behaviour”…


Detachment:

“The extent to which the adult demonstrates low levels of interest in the children’s activities or behaviour such as simply standing watching the children rather than being engaged with them”.


How has it been used to date?

• You Bet I Care study• Licensing &

monitoring• Professional growth &

development


What is the service by ARCQE

Intended to do?• Address “interactions” rating in preparation for

Accreditation• Assist in assessing overall quality of interactions.• Ease staff anxiety.• Provide feedback on practice.


How does the service work?

Premise of the service reflects practice & policy

• Consistency between caregivers/providers• Consistency between rooms/dayhomes• Consistency between practice & policy

3 Part Service providing individual & program level feedback

• Individual Observations• Individual debrief sessions• Program level report on overall caregiver interactions


Overview of the findings:

• 126 programs/agencies to date have completed this service

• Have now observed 977 front

line professionals across Alberta

• 2931 hours have been logged in observation & debrief sessions


What are the mean

scores/averages relating to the 3

measurements of indicators and

what do they suggest?


-2525

75125

175225

275325

375D

-1D

-3D

-6D

-7D

-8D

-10

D-1

3D

-14

D-1

6D

-22

0-25%

26-50%

51%-75%

76%-100%

Not observed

SENSITIVITY INDICATORS

Provincial case study samplings on 375 professionals-

Very Much

Quite a Bit

Somewhat

Not at All


Indicators most frequently problematic relevant to Sensitivity?

Most Challenging Descriptors:– Descriptor # 7: When the children misbehave, explains the reason for the rule

they are breaking. (36% only achieve this descriptor consistently “very much of the time”)

– Descriptor #16: Encourages children to exhibit pro-social behaviour (45% only achieve this descriptor “very much of the time”)

Noteworthy Descriptors:– Descriptor #3: Listens attentively when children speak to him/her (56% achieve

this descriptor consistently “very much of the time”)

– Descriptor #8: Encourages the children to try new experiences (53% achieve this descriptor consistently “very much of the time”)

– Descriptor #10: Seems enthusiastic about the children’s activities and efforts (59% achieve this descriptor consistently “very much of the time”)


-252575

125175225275325375

D-2

D-4

D-9

D-1

1D

-15

D-1

7D

-19

D-2

1D

-23

0-25%

26%-50%

51%-75%

76%-100%

Not Observed

HARSHNESS INDICATORS

Provincial case study samplings of 375 professionals-

Very Much

Quite a Bit

Somewhat

Not at All


– Descriptor #4: Places high value on obedience (27% of overall rating)

– Descriptor #19: Seems to prohibit many things children want to do (17% of overall rating)

– Descriptor #21: Expects children to exercise developmentally inappropriate self-control (15% overall rating)

Indicators most frequently problematic relevant to Harshness?


DETACHMENT INDICATORS

Provincial case study sampling on 375 professionals-

-252575

125175225275325375

D-5

D-1

2

D-1

8

D-2

0

0-25%

26%-50%

51%-75%

76%-100%

Not Observed

Not at All

Somewhat

Quite a Bit

Very Much


– Descriptor #5: Seems distant or detached from the children (13% overall rating)

– Descriptor # 12: Spends considerable time in activities not involving interactions with children (11% rating overall)

– Descriptor # 20: Doesn’t supervise the children very closely (10% of overall rating)

Indicators most frequently problematic relevant toDetachment?


Common traps & pitfalls…• Misbeliefs about Infants…• Preoccupation with routines tasks• Intervention rather than interaction• Loss of playfulness/childhood imagination• Structured “free play”• Mandatory participation group activities (meals,

circle time)• Wait times at transitions • Room arrangement• Lack of outdoor play programming• Static approach and/or habitual tendencies with

respect to the work


Limitations and Barriers…

• Provides a “snapshot” of a much bigger picture…

(pros/cons)• Staff turnover• Education & experience• Resistance to change


Report Results…

• Policy vs. practice surprises• Factors affecting practice between

caregivers/providers• Agency consistency issues


Affecting change…

• Share/review the report• Post summary page in ALL

rooms/day homes• Focus on specific indicators with

intention• Share information about current best

practice• Be intentional about fostering

change• Make observation a regular practice• Educate/advocate best practice…


Maintaining consistency & raising the baron practice…

(Internal)• Become familiar with indicators• Use internal review systems…

(External)•Annual “check ins”•Validate practice from a variety of lens/perspectives…


• I have not received this type of detailed feedback on practice since I was a student…”

• “Having an outside opinion has been very eye-opening”.

• “I have never realized before that my actions could be interpreted as “Detached” or “Harsh”... That’s rather frightening”.

• “Having people who can come in to observe has really helped ease staff anxiety with monitoring or Accreditation site visits”.

What are people saying? (Impact)

plotting a course towards high quality caregiver interaction shores… oceans of caring national...

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