Children’s socio-emotional wellbeing and daily family life in a 24-h economy

Some information of the project

Research consortium funded by the Academy of Finland (2011-2014)

JAMK university of applied research: Anna Rönkä, Mia Tammelin, Timo Hintikka, Ulla Teppo University of Jyväskylä: Marja-Leena Laakso, Eija Sevon, Pirjo-Liisa Poikonen, Eija Salonen, Piia Manninen, Johanna Mykkänen, Leena Turja, Riitta-Leena MetsäpeltoNational Institute for Health and Welfare: Marjatta Kekkonen, Liisa HeinämäkiUniversity of Utrecht (Department of Cultural Anthropology and Sociology): Tanja van der Lippe, Anne RoeterUniversity of Manchester, Morgan Centre for the Study of Relationships and Personal Life): Vanessa May

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Frame of reference in 24/7 study:

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MAKROSYSTEM:

Parents’ work at non-traditional hoursEXOSYSTEM:

MESOSYSTEM: MESOSYSTEM:

Day and night care-Good practices- Interpretations of children’s well-being-Partnership etc

Daily family living - Work-family inter-relations - Challanges in parenting - Fatherhood-Single parenting- Partnership etc

24/7 ECONOMYServicesystem

Sosial-, family- and workpolicies

Children’s socio-emotional wellbeing

MIcROSYSTEM:

Bronfenbrenner, U. Ecological systems theory

1) How is daily family life and child care organized among Finnish, British and Dutch families with parents working at non-traditional hours? 2) How do parents and children experience parental work at non-traditional hours and different care arrangements? What are the central aspects of daily life at home and in care experienced by the children when one or both parents work shifts?3) Is the form of parental work (day work, workat non-traditional hours) related to children’s socio-emotional wellbeing?• If so, then what are the possible mediators or moderators? What is the

role of the spousal relationship, parenting and family functioning? • Does the form of child care (centrally based care, home care) make a

difference? • Are there additional differences deriving from the three different

national policy and cultural contexts?

Research questions

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4) What enhances a satisfactory family life and child wellbeing in the context of parental work at non-traditional hours? What kind of routines do children and parents have in relation to daily transitions? How do children go about building a sense of belonging if their parents work at non-traditional hours?5) What is the role of day-care and the partnership between day-care and parents in enhancing child wellbeing? • What are good practices in institutional child care according to day-care

workers and parents? • What are the aspects of day-and-night care care that are important to

children?

Research questions: continue

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Parental survey (Finland, Uk, NL)

Survey for child care personnel(Finland)

Qualitative interviews for parents and children (Finland)

Around-the-clock diary for children(Finland)

Structured questions concerning parental work, work-family interaction, parenting, child care, child well-being

Questions concerning day care personnel’s opinions about the challenges and good practices inchild care

Different interview techniques to gather children’s and parent’s stories in the context of 24h economy

Child’s moods (child and adult ratings)Daily transitionsGood and challenging moments Key events

Generalizable information about 24h economy (parents’ point of view)

Generalizable information about the challenges and good practices, the point of view of day care personnel

Children’s and parents’ point of view in a 24h-economy

Situation-specific information about daily transitions and fluctuations in mood

Multi-method and -informant approach

Parental survey • A web- questionnaire (app. 500

respondents ) • Comparative: also the Netherlands and

the Great Britain – app. 200 respondents/country

• Parents are contacted via day care centres and work organisations (service sector )

• Themes, for example: – Working time practices (time, timing, and tempo of

work) – Experiences of work-family interface (conflict and

enhancement) – Parenting– Quality of spousal relationship– Child wellbeing

• Also interview data on parents• Collected autumn 2012

– analysis early 2013

Survey for child-care personnel

• A web- questionnaire (app. 200 respondents)

• Finland; Day-and-night care centres• Themes, for example:

– Challenges and good practices of day-and-night care in enhancing child-wellbeing

– Partnership between parents and personnel

• Public and private child-care units • Collected autumn 2012

– analysis early 2013

Parental and Personnel Surveys

Methods for hearing the children

Storytelling as a way children express their viewpoints on their

social-emotional wellbeing• Doctoral study by Piia Manninen Marjaana

Lehtomäki (Master’s thesis)• Also studies by Jamk students• Co-operation started in Tapiola Day and

night care center in Autumn 2011 - Already 16 families have given their

consents

Details: Pictures and pictured ”stages” of important places, moments and happenings about shift care

Child tells what happens and the stories are played together with the adult

One story will be watched together with the parents / personelle

Young children’s social-emotional wellbeing in the context of day and

night care

• Doctoral study by Eija Salonen Relates with parents’ and day care personelle’s interviews

Content: Observations of doings and beings of the most youngest ones in the day care center, especially coming to the day care, evenings and mornings

Observations will also be conducted at homes

Interviews will be used to broaden the knoweledge gained from observations

Methods for hearing the children

You got a message from Illi!The all-around-the -clock diary

• Sample: 20 children recruited from Day-and-night care centres + parents and day care personnel

• One week period with questions three times a day • Answering either at home or in the day-care by using mobile-phones (smart

phones borrowed from the project); children will carry mobile-phones with them

• Questions for both children and adults (parents, day care personnel)• The questions for the children concern the child’s daily moods, doings and

interaction with caring adults• The questions for children are spoken; answering either by speaking or by

pushing the icons• The questions for adults concern the adult’s perceptions of child’s moods and

daily wellbeing; answering by writing or using structured scales

Message from Illi! Some examples from children’s questions

• Please tell to Illi how did you sleep last night?Tell to Illi how you are you this morning?

Please choose between Illi’s faces which suits your mood best.

• Have you been happy this morning? Choose if you have - not at all been happy - a little bit happy - quite happy - very, very happy?

• Tell Illi what was the nicest thing in this morning?• What about the worst thing in this morning? • What have you been doing at home/at day care in this

morning?EXAMPLES FROM THE EVENING QUESTIONS• Please describe to Illi one nice moment at daycare today• Please describe to Illi one miserable moment at day care

today• Illi is interested in knowing more about your day at day care. I

tell you now some things that can happen. Please push either yes or no:

- It was nice to come to day care today- I missed my home at day care today- Adults have talked to me today- etc

Examples from the questions for adults

• Child’s moods (happy, angry, sad, worried, tired, motivated, restless); 1-7 scale

• Desribe your own mood in your own words (parents, afternoon)

• How was the child’s day according your opinion?• How did the child react to day care today? (day care personnel,

afternoon)• What made the child’s day a good one or a bad one, and why is

that? • What do youn think the child needed from the adults today?