Health Of Caregivers In Child Care

Document Type

Journal Article

Publisher

Wiley-Blackwell

Faculty

Faculty of Computing, Health and Science

School

School of Exercise, Biomedical and Health Sciences

Comments

Slack‐Smith, L. M., Read, A. W., Darby, J., & Stanley, F. J. (2006). Health of caregivers in child care. Child: care, health and development, 32(1), 111-119. Available here

Abstract

Background : Child care workers play an important role in caring for children attending child care yet there is little research regarding their health. Methods : The study consisted of focus groups with child care workers and a survey, conducted as part of a larger study known as the Healthy Child Care Study, which focused on children. The study investigated carers working in formal child care [long day care (LDC) and family day care (FDC)]. Results : Questionnaires to caregivers in centres showed that 86% had taken sick leave in the previous year and 75% of staff had taken leave for infectious illness. Carers in FDC reported that 24% had taken sick leave in the previous year and 12% of carers had taken leave for infectious illness. Of responding caregivers from centres, 22% were cigarette smokers while in FDC homes, 8% of carers smoked. In focus groups, carers reported that their major areas of health concern were stress, infectious illness and physical trauma such as lifting injuries. Conclusions : Child care workers in LDC took more sick leave than those in FDC but this is not necessarily due to more illness. Child care workers are a diverse and important group that require further research.

DOI

10.1111/j.1365-2214.2006.00577.x

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Link to publisher version (DOI)

10.1111/j.1365-2214.2006.00577.x