Aim
‘Work and wellbeing in family day care’ was a mixed methods research project that aimed to understand the relationships between educator mental health and wellbeing, working conditions and care quality in family day care to inform the development of workplace mental health promotion interventions.
Key papers
- Corr, L., Davis, E., LaMontagne, A. D., Waters, E., & Steele, E. (2014). Child care providers' mental health: a systematic review of its prevalence, determinants and relationship to care quality. International Journal of Mental Health Promotion. doi: 10.1080/14623730.2014.931067
- Corr, L., Davis, E., LaMontagne, A. D., Cook, K., & Waters, E. Associations between Australian child care providers’ mental health and working conditions: a cross-sectional study. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood.
Project summary
Family day care (FDC) educators work alone, under challenging conditions with high responsibilities- characteristics that mean their mental health is both critical and at risk. This mixed methods research investigated the relationships between FDC educators’ mental health and wellbeing, psychosocial working conditions and child care quality. It revealed the extent of poor mental health in FDC, the importance of educator mental health to care quality and the influential roles of policy, relationships and the fair exchange of effort for rewards (esteem, income) to educator mental health. The study provides evidence for systems-based workplace mental health promotion in FDC.
Funding source
National Health and Medical Research Council PhD scholarship 2010-2014
Research team
The research team included academics from other departments at the University of Melbourne as well as from other universities across Australia, including:
Dr Lara Corr, Jack Brockhoff Child Health & Wellbeing Program
Dr Elise Davis, Jack Brockhoff Child Health & Wellbeing Program- Vale Prof Elizabeth Waters, Jack Brockhoff Child Health & Wellbeing Program
- Prof Anthony LaMontagne, Deakin University
- Dr Kay Cook, RMIT
- Prof Collette Tayler, Melbourne Graduate School of Education
Contact
- Contact Email
- brockhoff-program@unimelb.edu.au