TOWARDS MORE EFFECTIVE PROFESSIONAL SECONDARY CAREGIVER PRACTICES: IMPLICATIONS OF THE CURRENT STUDY FOR CHILD DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Quality of care is a potentially important determinant of child outcomes. Professional Secondary Caregiver (PSC)-child interactions constitute the core of process quality. The purpose of the study was to examine the association between the PSC's sensitivity, child security -as assessed with the scores derived from Q-Sort descriptions (MBQS and AQS)- and socio-cognitive development (as derived from an assessment) in an accidental sample of 34 dyads through a cross-sectional study. PSCs were highly sensitive (M = .59) but children had less than 4 months interacting with them and showed it was insufficient time to establish a secure base relationship. Adequate and appropriate responses from the nonmaternal caregiver to communication and signs the infant is making relate to the child's socio-cognitive development. More stable and long-term PSC-child relationships would lead to better outcomes in child development, therefore, allowing the PSC to spend more time with the same group of children would be ideal.