Strengthening protective factors through parent-provider relationships : a study of family, friend, and neighbor child care settings

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] According to Susman-Stilman and Banghart (2008), about 33 to 55 percent of children under the age of 5 are in some form of family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) child care arrangement (i.e. child care provided in the caregiver or child's home by family members, friends, or neighbors). Even though many children are in these types of child care arrangements, little is known about the relationships between parents and child care providers or the role of protective factors in these settings. The goal of this qualitative study was to explore strengths and challenges of parent-provider relationships and learn how protective factors might be strengthened through these relationships in the population of FFN Project REACH participants. Specifically, 5 protective factors from the Strengthening Families Protective Factors Framework from the Center for the Study of Social Policy (2012b) were explored. The 5 protective factors that were explored include social connections, concrete support in times of need, parental resilience, knowledge of parenting and child development, and the social and emotional competence of children (Center for the Study of Social Policy, 2012b). Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 12 child care providers, 10 parents, and 3 Project REACH support associates. Participants described a variety of strengths and challenges in parent-provider relationships, in addition to ways in which protective factors can be strengthened through parent-provider relationships in this population