Quality of childcare and delayed child development in left-behind children in China.

Lin, K; Zhou, Y-M; Ma, H-P; He, F; Huang, X-N; Tian, X-B; Zheng, Y; Sun, J

Quality of childcare and delayed child development in left-behind children in China.

Lin, K Zhou, Y-M Ma, H-P He, F Huang, X-N Tian, X-B Zheng, Y Sun, J

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Publisher:: SPRINGERNATURE
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Pediatr Res, 2024, 95, (3), pp. 809-818
Issue Date:: 2024-02

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Lin, K
dc.contributor.author	Zhou, Y-M
dc.contributor.author	Ma, H-P
dc.contributor.author	He, F
dc.contributor.author	Huang, X-N
dc.contributor.author	Tian, X-B
dc.contributor.author	Zheng, Y
dc.contributor.author	Sun, J https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0097-2438
dc.date.accessioned	2024-03-14T23:50:40Z
dc.date.available	2023-09-21
dc.date.available	2024-03-14T23:50:40Z
dc.date.issued	2024-02
dc.identifier.citation	Pediatr Res, 2024, 95, (3), pp. 809-818
dc.identifier.issn	0031-3998
dc.identifier.issn	1530-0447
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/176735
dc.description.abstract	BACKGROUND: Inequalities in job opportunities and income prompts many Chinese parents to leave rural regions to work in urban regions. Their children are left behind in rural regions, subjected to worse quality of childcare that jeopardizes their development. This study aimed to examine the association between quality of childcare and delayed child development in under-three years children left behind in China. METHODS: Cross-sectional national survey was conducted in children left behind in rural China in 2017. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was used to develop a quality of childcare index. Mutlilevel analyses determined factors associated with quality of childcare and child development on a province and individual level. RESULT: The largest population of at-risk children left behind were found in higher-GDP provinces. Children left behind had the lowest mean quality of childcare score. Multilevel analysis found that province level accounted for a great proportion of variance observed. CONCLUSIONS: While migration to urban regions for work may improve household income, a trade-off in worse quality of childcare and developmental delays exists. With improving household income often being the greatest contributing factor for parental migration, policies to reduce inequalities in job opportunities and wealth between rural and urban regions are required. IMPACT: Previous studies identified higher prevalence of developmental delays in children left behind in China. However, quality of childcare has not been examined. Based on WHO's Nurturing Care Framework, we developed a quality of childcare index to assess its association with child development in children left behind. Greatest proportion of children left behind at-risk of developmental delays resided in higher-GDP states, indicating a trade-off in worse quality of childcare and developmental delays. Since improving household income is the main factor for parental migration, policies to close inequalities in job opportunities and wealth between rural and urban regions are required.
dc.format	Print-Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	SPRINGERNATURE
dc.relation.ispartof	Pediatr Res
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1038/s41390-023-02840-7
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	1114 Paediatrics and Reproductive Medicine, 1117 Public Health and Health Services
dc.subject.classification	Pediatrics
dc.subject.classification	3213 Paediatrics
dc.subject.mesh	Child
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Child Development
dc.subject.mesh	Cross-Sectional Studies
dc.subject.mesh	Child Care
dc.subject.mesh	Income
dc.subject.mesh	China
dc.subject.mesh	Rural Population
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Cross-Sectional Studies
dc.subject.mesh	Child Development
dc.subject.mesh	Child
dc.subject.mesh	Rural Population
dc.subject.mesh	Income
dc.subject.mesh	Child Care
dc.subject.mesh	China
dc.subject.mesh	Child
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Child Development
dc.subject.mesh	Cross-Sectional Studies
dc.subject.mesh	Child Care
dc.subject.mesh	Income
dc.subject.mesh	China
dc.subject.mesh	Rural Population
dc.title	Quality of childcare and delayed child development in left-behind children in China.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	95
utslib.location.activity	United States
utslib.for	1114 Paediatrics and Reproductive Medicine
utslib.for	1117 Public Health and Health Services
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Computer Science
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.date.updated	2024-03-14T23:50:34Z
pubs.issue	3
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	95
utslib.citation.issue	3

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Inequalities in job opportunities and income prompts many Chinese parents to leave rural regions to work in urban regions. Their children are left behind in rural regions, subjected to worse quality of childcare that jeopardizes their development. This study aimed to examine the association between quality of childcare and delayed child development in under-three years children left behind in China. METHODS: Cross-sectional national survey was conducted in children left behind in rural China in 2017. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was used to develop a quality of childcare index. Mutlilevel analyses determined factors associated with quality of childcare and child development on a province and individual level. RESULT: The largest population of at-risk children left behind were found in higher-GDP provinces. Children left behind had the lowest mean quality of childcare score. Multilevel analysis found that province level accounted for a great proportion of variance observed. CONCLUSIONS: While migration to urban regions for work may improve household income, a trade-off in worse quality of childcare and developmental delays exists. With improving household income often being the greatest contributing factor for parental migration, policies to reduce inequalities in job opportunities and wealth between rural and urban regions are required. IMPACT: Previous studies identified higher prevalence of developmental delays in children left behind in China. However, quality of childcare has not been examined. Based on WHO's Nurturing Care Framework, we developed a quality of childcare index to assess its association with child development in children left behind. Greatest proportion of children left behind at-risk of developmental delays resided in higher-GDP states, indicating a trade-off in worse quality of childcare and developmental delays. Since improving household income is the main factor for parental migration, policies to close inequalities in job opportunities and wealth between rural and urban regions are required.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/176735