Quality of Family-Provider Relationships in Early Care and Education

OMB Control Number: 0970-0355

Expiration Date: 1/31/2015 ID: _________________

FPRQ Cognitive Interview Protocol

Provider Protocol

Introduction

Hi. My name is _______ (and this is ______. ______will be taking notes to help us remember what we cover.)

Before we get started, I want to tell you about the study and what we will be doing today.

INTERVIEWER: READ CONSENT FORM

INTERVIEWER: IF APPROPRIATE, TURN ON TAPE RECORDER.

RECORD DATE: _________________

RECORD START TIME: _________________

INTERVIEWER’S INITIALS: _________________

NOTETAKER’S INITIALS: _________________

CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE OBTAINED: YES NO

CONSENT TO RECORD INTERVIEW OBTAINED: YES NO

INTERVIEWER: IF NO TO CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE, INTERVIEW CANNOT TAKE PLACE.

Before we get started, I want to go over a few things.

The goal of our study is to develop questions about the quality of relationships between early care and education providers or (preschool) teachers and the parents of the children they care for and teach. We want to make sure that the questions that have been developed are easy to understand and make sense for [providers/teachers/Family Service Workers]. I will ask you to answer questions that have been developed by others and ask for your feedback on them.

I will be asking you to complete the sections of the survey one-by-one. After you complete each section, I will have some follow-up questions. Some of the time, I will ask you what your answer was to a question. Other times, I will ask you why you answered a question the way you did or what a certain term meant to you. Please remember that there are no right or wrong answers.

So that we get the most from your help, it is important that you tell me when something in a question does not make sense to you or seems weird to you in any way. Please tell me if:

a question seems hard to answer,

the words in the question are hard to understand,

you have a hard time coming up with an answer,

the words in the question are not the ones that [teachers/child care providers/Family Service Workers] would use,

you think other [teachers/child care providers/Family Service Workers] may not understand,

the questions don’t apply for the ages of children you work with,

you don’t have the information to answer the question or if you think other [teachers/providers/Family Service Workers] would not be able to answer.

Any questions?

Okay, let get started.

First, we want to make sure that we are using the right words to describe the work you do.

• Can you briefly describe the work you do?

• What words or terms do you use to describe the work you do?

• IF NEEDED: What do you call yourself, or how do you refer to your position?

• ALL: Is this the same as your job title? If not, what is your job title?

• Are there any other words or terms that you would use?

• Are there terms or words you don’t like when others use to describe you and the work you do?

INTERVIEWER: MAKE SURE TO COLLECT ENOUGH INFORMATION TO KNOW WHETHER THE RESPONDENT IS WORKING IN A HEAD START SETTING.

INTERVIEWER: USE THE WORDS AND PHRASES THAT THE RESPONDENT USED IN PROBES AND FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS, AS APPROPRIATE.

IF IN-PERSON INTERVIEW: GIVE R QUESTIONNAIRE

IF PHONE INTERVIEW: ENSURE R HAS QUESTIONNAIRE

Let’s start with the set of questions on page 1. Please read and answer questions 1 and 2. Take as much time as you need and let me know when you are done.

1. Since September, how often have you met with or talked to parents about the following regarding their child?

[MARK ONE BOX IN EACH ROW.]

	Never	Rarely	Sometimes	Very often
a. Their child’s experiences in the education and care setting
b. Their child’s abilities
c. Their child’s learning and development
d. Problems their child is having in the education and care setting
e. Their child’s general behavior
f. What to expect at each stage of their child’s development
g. Goals parents have for their child
h How their child is progressing towards goals or developmental milestones

2. Since September, how often have you talked to or met with parents about the following regarding themselves?

[MARK ONE BOX IN EACH ROW.]

	Never	Rarely	Sometimes	Very often
a. Their personal relationship with a spouse or partner
b. Their employment status
c. Their financial situation
d. Their parenting styles

AFTER RESPONDENT COMPLETES SECTION: Thank you. As I mentioned earlier, I’d like to ask you about how you answered the questions and what the questions meant to you. Before we discuss specific questions, I have some general questions about the section you just answered.

GENERAL PROBES: First, did you notice and read the introduction? The question introduction reads, “Since September, how often have you met with or talked to your childcare provider or teacher about the following?” What did you think this was referring to?

• What kinds of things or times were you thinking about when answering this question?

• IF APPROPRIATE: When you were answering this question did you include:

  • Formal teacher-parent conferences?

• Informal times that you may have talked such as during drop offs and pick ups?

• Email communication about these issues?

• Telephone conversations?

FOR ALL QUESTIONS: When you were answering this set of questions, were you thinking of all families and children you serve, some, a few, just one, or something else?

• Were you thinking about just the families and children that you currently serve, or something else?

• IF SOMETHING ELSE: Can you tell me more about that?

1. Since September, how often have you met with or talked to parents about the following regarding their child?

[MARK ONE BOX IN EACH ROW.]

	Never	Rarely	Sometimes	Very often
a. Their child’s experiences in the education and care setting
b. Their child’s abilities
c. Their child’s learning and development
d. Problems their child is having in the education and care setting
e. Their child’s general behavior
f. What to expect at each stage of their child’s development
g. Goals parents have for their child
h How their child is progressing towards goals or developmental milestones

2. Since September, how often have you talked to or met with parents about the following regarding themselves?

[MARK ONE BOX IN EACH ROW.]

	Never	Rarely	Sometimes	Very often
a. Their personal relationship with a spouse or partner
b. Their employment status
c. Their financial situation
d. Their parenting styles

PROBES:

[Item 1C]: What came to mind as you read the phrase “their child’s learning and development” in question 1c?

• Is this something you talk with parents about now, something you talked with parents about when their children first started the program/care arrangement, something you have never talked about, or something else?

[Item 1H]: What goals were you thinking about for question 1h, “How their child is progressing towards goals or developmental milestones”?

Before we move on to the next section, can you tell me how you marked your answer? [INTERVIEWER: Want to know how R indicated answers (e.g. marked, checked, circled, etc.), and whether R picked one or more categories.]

Okay, now let’s move onto the next question. Please read and answer questions 3 through 6 on pages 2 and 3. Take as much time as you need and let me know when you are done.

3. Since September, how often have you talked to or met with parents about the following regarding the education and care their children receive?

[MARK ONE BOX IN EACH ROW.]

		Never	Rarely	Sometimes	Very often
a. Your expectations for the children in your care
b. The rules you have for children in your care
c. How they feel about the education and care you provide

4. How often do you have difficulty communicating with parents because they have a strong accent or speak a different language than you?

[MARK ONLY ONE BOX.]

Never

Rarely

Sometimes

Very often

5. Listed below are some things families may or may not share with you. Thinking about the children and families you serve, for how many children and their families do you know the following?

I know…

[MARK ONE BOX IN EACH ROW.]

	None	Some	Most	All
a. If children have siblings.
b. If children have other adult relatives living in their households
c. Their parents’ schedules
d. The marital status of children’s parents
e. The employment status of children’s parents
f. Their financial situation
g. The role that faith and religion play in children’s households
h. Their cultures and values
i. What their families do outside of the education and care setting to encourage their children’s learning
j. How parents discipline their child
k. Changes happening at home
l. Health issues their children have such as food allergies or asthma

6. Since September, how often have you been able to do the following?

[MARK ONE BOX IN EACH ROW.]

	Never	Rarely	Sometimes	Very often
a. Help children settle in when they are dropped off
b. Share information with parents about their children’s day
c. Offer parents books and materials on parenting
d. Suggest activities for parents and children to do together

GENERAL PROBES: Were any of the questions unclear or hard to answer?

IF YES: Tell me more about that.

Okay, now let’s move onto the next question. Please read and answer questions 7 and 8 on page 4. Take as much time as you need and let me know when you are done.

7. We would like to learn about how you and the families of children in your program work

together.

How often are you able to do the following?

[MARK ONE BOX IN EACH ROW.]

	Never	Rarely	Sometimes	Very often
a. Answer parents’ questions when they come up
b. Work with parents to develop strategies they can use at home to support their child’s learning and development
c. Set goals with parents for their child
d. Offer parents ideas or suggestions about parenting
e. Provide parents the opportunity to give feedback about your performance

8. Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with each of these statements.

[MARK ONE BOX IN EACH ROW.]

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Agree	Strongly agree
a. I am open to using information on new and better ways to teach and care for children.
b. I prefer to stick to my ways of teaching and caring for children.
c. I encourage parents to provide feedback on my care and teaching practices.
d. I encourage parents to make decisions about their children’s education and care.
e. When it comes to children, parents are the experts

PROBES:

[Item 8A]: Please walk me through how you answered question 8a “I’m open to using information on new and better ways to teach and care for children.”

IF NEEDED: What does it mean to be “open to using information”?

• What kind or source of information were you thinking about when you read “information on new and better ways to teach or care for children”?

IF NEEDED: What was your answer to this question? Can you walk me through how you chose that answer?

8.. Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with each of these statements.

[MARK ONE BOX IN EACH ROW.]

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Agree	Strongly agree
a. I am open to using information on new and better ways to teach and care for children.
b. I prefer to stick to my ways of teaching and caring for children.
c. I encourage parents to provide feedback on my care and teaching practices.
d. I encourage parents to make decisions about their children’s education and care.
e. When it comes to children, parents are the experts

PROBES:

[Item 8B]: What does it mean to “prefer to stick to your ways of teaching and caring for children” in item 8b?

• What was your answer to this question? Can you walk me through how you chose that answer?

[Item 8C]: Please walk me through how you answered 8c “I encourage parents to provide feedback on my care and teaching practices.”

• Who were you thinking about when you answered this question?

• Was it one parent, some parents, or all parents? Tell me more about that.

• What was your answer to this question? Can you walk me through how you chose that answer?

8.. Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with each of these statements.

[MARK ONE BOX IN EACH ROW.]

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Agree	Strongly agree
a. I am open to using information on new and better ways to teach and care for children.
b. I prefer to stick to my ways of teaching and caring for children.
c. I encourage parents to provide feedback on my care and teaching practices.
d. I encourage parents to make decisions about their children’s education and care.
e. When it comes to children, parents are the experts

PROBES:

[Item 8D] What is question 8d “I encourage parents to make decisions about their children’s education and care” trying to get at?

• What was your answer? Is this something that you try to do, would like to do, actually do, or don’t think is necessary or appropriate?

[Item 8E] Please walk me though how you answered question 8E “When it comes to children, parents are the experts.”

• What does it mean for a parent to be an “expert”?

IF NEEDED: What does the term “expert” mean to you?

• What was your answer to this question? Can you walk me through how you chose that answer?

Okay, now let’s move onto the next question. Please read and answer questions 9 through 11 on page 5. Take as much time as you need and let me know when you are done.

9. When planning activities for children in your program, how often are you able to take into account the following?

[MARK ONE BOX IN EACH ROW.]

	Never	Rarely	Sometimes	Very often
a. Information parents share about their children
b. Families’ values and cultures

10.. Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with each of these statements.

[MARK ONE BOX IN EACH ROW.]

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Agree	Strongly agree
a. Sometimes it is hard for me to support the way parents raise their children.
b. Sometimes it is hard for me to support the way parents discipline their children.
c. Sometimes it is hard for me to support the goals parents have for their children.
d Sometimes it is hard for me to work with people who do not share my beliefs.

11. People work in care and education settings for many reasons. Please indicate how much you

agree or disagree with the following statements:

[MARK ONE BOX IN EACH ROW.]

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Agree	Strongly agree
a. I teach and care for children because I enjoy it
b. I see this job as just a paycheck
c. I teach and care for children because I like being around children
d. If I could find something else to do to make a living I would

PROBES:

[Item 10D]: Please walk me through how you answered question 10d “sometimes it’s hard for me to work with people who do not share my beliefs.”

• Who were you thinking about when you answered this question?

• What “beliefs” were you thinking about when you read this question?

• Do you feel you know enough about the beliefs of the parents of the children you work with to answer this question?

Okay, now let’s move onto the next question. Please read and answer questions 12 through 14 on page 6. Take as much time as you need and let me know when you are done.

12. People vary in what they consider part of their job. Please indicate how much you agree or

disagree with the following statements.

Part of my job is to…

[MARK ONE BOX IN EACH ROW.]

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Agree	Strongly agree
a. Help families get services available in the community
b. Offer parents information about community events such as fairs
c. Respond to issues or questions outside of normal care hours
d. Change the care schedule in response to parents’ work or school schedules
e. Learn new ways to teach and care for children
f. Change activities offered to children in response to families’ feedback
g. Talk to parents about how they raise their children

13. In the last ten years, have you received training or coursework on how to recognize signs of:

[MARK ONE BOX IN EACH ROW.]

	Yes	No
a. Developmental delays in children.
b. Child abuse and neglect.
c. Domestic violence
d. Substance abuse
e. Depression or mental health issues in parents
f. Hunger

14. If families have a question or a problem comes up during the day, how easy or difficult is it

for them to reach you?

[MARK ONLY ONE BOX.]

Very difficult

Difficult

Easy

Very easy

GENERAL PROBES: Were any of the questions unclear or hard to answer?

IF YES: Tell me more about that.

Okay, now let’s move onto the next question. Please read and answer questions 15 through 19 on pages 7 and 8. Take as much time as you need and let me know when you are done.

15. Since September, have you personally helped families in any of the following ways:

[MARK ONE BOX IN EACH ROW.]

	Yes	No
a. Encouraged families to seek or receive services?
b. Made appointments or arrangements for families to receive services they need?
c. Helped families find services they need?

16. Are you of Hispanic or Latino origin?

[MARK ONLY ONE BOX.]

Yes

No

17. What is your race?

[MARK ALL THAT APPLY.]

White

Black or African American

American Indian or Alaska Native

Asian Indian

Chinese

Filipino

Japanese

Korean

Vietnamese

Other Asian

Native Hawaiian

Guamanian or Chamorro

Samoan

Other Pacific Islander

18. Do you have a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential?

[MARK ONLY ONE BOX.]

Yes

No

19. What is the highest level of education you have completed?

[MARK ONLY ONE BOX.]

Less than a high school diploma

High school diploma or GED

Some college, no degree

Associate’s degree

Bachelor’s degree

Graduate school degree

GENERAL PROBES: Were any of the questions unclear or hard to answer?

IF YES: Tell me more about that.

CONCLUSION - GENERAL PROBES:

Before we end, are there any other aspects about the relationship between parents and those that care for/teach their children that we should have asked about, but didn’t?

As we were going through these questions in this whole survey, were there any questions that didn’t seem to apply to you, times when the response options didn’t match how you wanted to answer, that didn’t make sense to you, or that you wanted to comment on that we didn’t already talk about?

In general, did these questions make sense for you and the work you do with families and children?

Is there anything else you would like to share about how the questions worked for you or whether you found the questions to be relevant to your experiences?

Thank you for participating in this survey!

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