Jennifer R. Bradley

Child Care and Employed Parents of Children With Emotional or Behavioral Disorders

Lack of appropriate child care is frequently reported by parents of children with disabilities as a major obstacle to finding and maintaining their employment. Care for children with emotional or behavioral disorders is particularly difficult to locate because child care providers often lack adequate training. Findings are presented from interviews with 60 parents employed a minimum of 30 hr per week and caring for at least one school-age child with an emotional or behavioral disorder. Child care arrangements were varied and complex, with parents often making adjustments daily to design suitable care plans for all children in the family. Parental stress levels and work limitations because of child care were associated with levels of work—family fit, flexibility, child care difficulty, and child care satisfaction. We suggest that availability and access to child care options and supports specific to the needs of their children may be essential for employed parents of children with emotional or behavioral disorders to reduce stress and promote work—life integration.

The Evidence Base for Mental Health Consultation in Early Childhood Settings: A Research Synthesis Addressing Children's Behavioral Outcomes

Research Findings: Early childhood mental health consultation aims to reduce problem behaviors and improve social skills in young children primarily through changes in the classroom environment and teacher practices. We conducted a systematic review of the literature and identified 14 rigorous studies that reported on child-level outcomes. These studies had at least one of the following characteristics: publication in a peer-reviewed journal, use of a randomized control trial design, or inclusion of a comparison group. Across these studies, there was variation in the approaches to consultation, qualifications of the consultants, and intensity of the services provided. Overall, early childhood mental health consultation services were consistently associated with reductions in teacher-reported externalizing behaviors. Findings related to reductions in internalizing behaviors were mixed. Teacher ratings of prosocial behaviors were improved in the majority of the studies that reported on this domain. Practice or Policy: This research synthesis underscores the importance of documenting the specific approaches to early childhood mental health consultation that are being implemented to allow for replication of effective models. Areas for future research improvement include increasing rigor through studies that contain independent assessments of childrens behaviors, isolating key components of effective consultation, and identifying consultant qualifications and characteristics that lead to child behavior changes.