Contextual Factors Influence Professional Development Attendance Among Child Care Providers in Nebraska

Authors

Dipti Dev, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Aileen S. Garcia, South Dakota State UniversityFollow
Alison Tovar, University of Rhode IslandFollow
Holly Hatton-Bowers, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Lisa Franzen-Castle, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Zainab Rida, Nebraska Department of Education
Linda Reddish, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow
Jasmin Smith, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Christy Burger, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Danae Dinkel, University of Nebraska at OmahaFollow
Donnia Behrends, University of Nebraska−LincolnFollow
Emily Hulse, Children’s Hospital and Medical Center−Omaha
Susan M. Sheridan, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

2019

Citation

Published in Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 2019

doi 10.1016/j.jneb.2019.09.011

PMID 31708425

Comments

Copyright © 2019 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. Used by permission.

Abstract

Objective: To examine contextual factors that may influence child care providers’ motivators for attending nutrition-related training and their preferences and barriers to attending professional development training.

Design: Cross-sectional survey completed between January and April 2017.

Setting: Licensed child care programs (n = 1,490) across urban and rural Nebraska.

Participants: Child care center directors (n = 336) and family child care home providers (n = 1,154).

Main Outcome Measures: Motivators, preferences, and barriers of child care providers for attending professional development.

Analysis: Descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted.

Results: Top motivators for attending nutrition-related training included meeting licensure requirements and improving job performance. Child care providers most commonly selected preferences for receiving training included in-person and online delivery. Top barriers to obtaining training were schedule conflicts, accessibility, and cost. Child care centers and participants in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment in Child Care (Go NAP SACC) were more likely to be motivated by licensure requirements. Rural providers were also more likely to report barriers such as inability to travel and limited access to training. Results revealed that child care type, geographic location, CACFP and Go NAP SACC participation can influence child care providers’ motivators, preferences, and barriers to attending training.

Conclusions and Implications: Results highlight the importance of offering professional development training that best fits child care providers’ needs and preferences.

Includes supplementary materials (survey instrument)