Date of Award
2024
Document Type
Thesis
Publisher
Edith Cowan University
Degree Name
Master of Medical and Health Science by Research
School
School of Medical and Health Sciences
First Supervisor
Dr Ruth Wallace
Second Supervisor
Dr Brennen Mills
Third Supervisor
Dr Karen Lombardi
Abstract
Family Day Care (FDC) is an essential service within the Australian early childhood education and care sector. FDC educators support Australian families who require convenience, flexibility, and versatility in the education and care of their children. FDC educators’ mental wellbeing (MWB) is vital to ensure optimal education and care is provided, however this is often overlooked by educators. This research aimed to gauge Australian FDC educators’ MWB, identify factors positively or negatively affecting MWB and strategies employed to maintain and support MWB.
Primarily, a cross-sectional quantitative questionnaire measuring MWB and ten predictor variables determining relationship with food, food insecurity, alcohol intake, physical activity, resilience, body appreciation, job stress, effort and reward imbalance, sense of support and sense of community, was made available to Australian FDC educators. Through a structural equation modelling framework, a path analysis model was formatted to establish the nature of associations between study variables. Following the quantitative research, qualitative interviews were undertaken with FDC educators (n=15) and service coordinators (n=8).
FDC educator MWB (n=327) was lower than population norms. The ten predictor variables accounted for 45% of variation in MWB scores, a favourable result given the complexity of MWB. The predictor variables body appreciation and resilience were the most strongly associated with positive MWB, while increased job stress and food insecurity had the highest negative impact. Job stress also impacted effort and reward imbalance and sense of support, while body appreciation and resilience were positively related to eating habits and sense of community. Interview data identified the unique FDC environment underpinned themes determined to impact MWB: working closely with children; isolation; relationships with others; societal perceptions; and self-employment.
On combining the research arms, it was concluded that to optimise MWB support for FDC educators and ensure this essential service remains available to children and families, future strategies should prioritise promoting body appreciation and resilience whilst addressing issues of job stress and food insecurity. Increasing positive societal perceptions and the awareness of the challenges of the FDC sector are also vital, alongside implementing government regulations that reflect the unique FDC environment.
DOI
10.25958/s7d6-cn92
Access Note
Access to this thesis is embargoed until 31 May 2026
Access to chapters 4 and 5 of this thesis is not available
Recommended Citation
Rayfield, T. (2024). Understanding mental wellbeing of family day care educators in Australia: A mixed methods study. Edith Cowan University. https://doi.org/10.25958/s7d6-cn92