Early Childhood Teachers’ Relationships with Families When Children Experience Adversity

2024  Journal Article

Early Childhood Teachers’ Relationships with Families When Children Experience Adversity

Pub TLDR

The findings underscore the need for policies and programs that support the training of early childhood educators in trauma-informed practices and promote strong teacher-family-community partnerships. This can lead to the creation of more supportive and responsive educational environments for children experiencing adversity.

 

College of Health researcher(s)

Abstract

Quality relationships among families and teachers in early care and education (ECE) hold promise to nurture resilience among children impacted by adversity. However, little is known about how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) may affect the interactions between families and teachers. This study uses quantitative survey data from families (N = 235) and qualitative interview data from teachers (N = 13) to examine the link between children’s adversity and family-teacher relationship quality (knowledge, attitudes, practices) in ECE. Quantitative results indicate that when a child has experienced more of the ACEs conventionally studied (e.g. maltreatment, parent substance abuse or mental illness), parents are more likely to perceive lower quality practices with teachers, but when a child has experienced more ACEs on an extended measure (e.g., bullying, discrimination), parents are more likely to perceive higher quality practices with teachers. Qualitative results indicate that teachers report challenges in relationships with families when children experience trauma or adversity, but that ACEs also can present an opportunity to strengthen family-teacher relationships. Findings can inform professional development for teachers focused on strategies to work with families facing adversity, as well as policies related to program standards (e.g., family engagement) and interventions to improve family-teacher relationships quality.

Lewis, H.R., Lipscomb, S.T., Hatfield, B.E., Jäderholm, C.M., Tominey, S.L.(2024)Early Childhood Teachers’ Relationships with Families When Children Experience AdversityJournal of Research in Childhood Education