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The COVID-19 pandemic has created significant challenges for Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services and families, impacting family access to services and their communication and engagement with educators. This study aimed to examine parents' perspectives of family engagement with ECEC services during the pandemic. Primary caregivers in Victoria at the time of recruitment (September-November 2020) were invited to participate. Of the 66 participants who completed an online survey, 25 also took part in semi-structured video call or phone interviews; qualitative findings from these interviews are reported in this paper. Four key themes were conceptualised using a reflexive thematic approach: (1) disruptions to ECEC access and attendance impacting on family routines and relationships, and child development; (2) barriers to family engagement; (3) ECEC educators' support of families and children during the pandemic; and (4) increased parental appreciation of the ECEC profession. Findings revealed that disruptions to ECEC access and routines during the pandemic adversely impacted family engagement, and child learning and social-emotional wellbeing for some families. These were aggravated by other stressors, including increased parental responsibilities in the home, financial and health concerns, and changed work conditions. Findings also demonstrated successful methods used by educators to maintain communication and connections with families. Importantly, parents expressed increasing appreciation of the profession and an increased awareness of the value of family involvement in children's learning. Learnings regarding strategies for effective and alternative ways of engaging families are discussed.

Background: A wealth of evidence supports the important role high-quality parent-child interactions play in children's early language acquisition. However, the impact on later language outcomes remains unclear. Aims: To examine the associations between responsive parental behaviours across the early years and child language outcomes at age 7 years with families from an Australian longitudinal cohort study (N = 1148, 50% female). Methods & Procedures: At child ages 12, 24 and 36 months, parents completed a self-report measure of responsive parental behaviours. Child language was directly assessed at age 7 using the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals, 4th edition (CELF-4), Australian Standardisation. Linear regression was used to examine associations between responsive parental behaviours from 12 to 36 months (consistently high, inconsistent and consistently low responsive parental behaviours at the three time points) and language scores at age 7 years. Adjusted models were run, including the following potential confounders: child sex; birth weight; birth order; maternal education; socio-economic disadvantage; non-English-speaking background; family history of speech--language problems; mother's vocabulary score; maternal mental health score; and mother's age at birth of child. A final adjusted model was run, including the potential confounder variables as well as adjusting for children's earlier language skills. Outcomes & Results: Linear regression results showed children with parents who rated high on responsive parental behaviours at all three time points had higher mean language scores at age 7 than children whose parents reported low responsive parental behaviours across early childhood. This association attenuated after adjusting for earlier child language skills. Conclusions & Implications: Findings support the consistent use of responsive parental behaviours across the very early years of childhood to support long-term language outcomes. Findings also suggest that models of surveillance and support which monitor and assist families at multiple time-points over the early years are likely to be most effective for preventing ongoing language difficulties.

Children facing adversity are at greater risk of experiencing language difficulties than their peers. This study aims to examine the association between specific maternal responsive behaviours at 24 months and language outcomes at the age of 5 years in a cohort of mothers and children facing adversity. Mother-child dyads (n = 138) facing adversity were observed and videoed at home at 24 months in mother-child free play. Four maternal responsive behaviours were coded from these videos: imitations, responsive questions, labels, and expansions. Child language was assessed using the CELF-4 at the age of 5 years. Linear regression was used to examine associations, in both adjusted and unadjusted models. In unadjusted models, imitations, responsive questions, and labels predicted better child language scores at age 5. Imitations continued to positively predict language scores after adjusting for confounding factors, including earlier communication skills. Findings demonstrate the importance of considering maternal responsive behaviours with respect to stages of child development.

The aims of this study were to establish a Research Network of Early Childhood Professionals and to identity network members' top research priorities and preferred research methods. Australian early childhood education (ECE) professionals were invited to participate in a Delphi-style survey. In Stage 1, participants were asked to describe the most important issues in ECE that need addressing; from this, a 'top 20' list of the most common research priorities was generated. In Stage 2, respondents were asked to prioritise the top 20 research topics and to rate their interest in participating in various methods of research. A total of 182 ECE professionals completed the Stage 1 survey (pre-COVID-19), yielding 34 topics of research interest. Ninety-four respondents completed the Stage 2 survey (during the COVID-19 pandemic), ranking the top three most important research topics as: educator wellbeing and mental health, child wellbeing and mental health, and professional learning and development. Members of the network appear to be interested in participating in ECE research and their research priorities can help highlight real-world issues warranting further investigation. Facilitating research that addresses prioritised ECE areas is particularly timely given the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic across the ECE sector.

Research evidence suggests children experiencing adversity are at risk of language disparities in early childhood. This puts these children at risk of poor language outcomes, perpetuating disadvantage in later development and academic life. This study aimed to investigate associations between Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) attendance, hours of attendance and quality in a cohort of 2-year-old children experiencing adversity with their language outcomes at age five. Pregnant women experiencing adversity, based on women meeting two or more of 10 factors on a brief risk factor survey, were recruited from maternity hospitals in Victoria and Tasmania, Australia. At age 2 years, ECEC data was collected via survey, including ECEC attendance, amount of time spent and ECEC quality (using the Australian government's national measure of quality, the National Quality Standard assessment) (n = 161). At age 5 years, child language outcomes were measured using a standardised language assessment. This data was analysed using logistic regressions and the non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test to identify associations. After adjusting for potential confounders, we found language scores at age five were higher, on average, for children who attended ECEC at age two compared to those who did not attend. However, hours of attendance and ECEC quality, was not found to be associated with language outcomes. Findings suggest ECEC attendance in the early developmental years (birth to age 3 years) may be a protective factor against social disadvantage factors and contribute to positive language development for children experiencing adversity. This information is important for the ECEC sector, policymakers and families to advocate, enable and ensure high-quality ECEC is accessible, particularly for children experiencing adversity.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of early childhood education and care (ECEC) as an essential service for families and the economy. However, it also exacerbated persisting challenges for the sector which impact educator well-being. This paper reports findings from a qualitative study that investigated Australian early childhood educators' perspectives about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and challenges and supports for educator well-being. A sample of 214 ECEC professionals responded to an online survey and 15 educators participated in subsequent focus groups. Five themes were identified in the data from open-ended survey questions and the focus groups: (1) threats to physical, emotional and financial health; (2) self-care and access to well-being resources; (3) connection with children and families; (4) a supportive professional community; and (5) acknowledging the value of early childhood education. These themes are elucidated using the 'voices' of educators, providing insights into how educator well-being can be supported during and beyond the pandemic.

The importance of Early Childhood (EC) educators' wellbeing has been brought into sharp focus during the COVID-19 pandemic, as educators have navigated numerous additional stressors while providing education and care services for some children and ongoing support for many others learning at home. This study aimed to explore the impact of the pandemic on EC educators' wellbeing and educator-child relationships, as growing evidence shows the influence of these factors on children's developmental outcomes. In July 2020, members of a Research Network of EC Professionals--who previously identified educator wellbeing as a priority issue--were invited to participate in an online survey. The survey included two published, validated scales: the Early Childhood Professional Wellbeing scale (ECPW) and the Student-Teacher Relationship Scale (modified). Survey items about educators' experiences during the pandemic were also included. Two hundred and thirty-two EC educators from across Australia completed the survey, mostly from Victoria where lockdowns were most severe. Linear regression analysis demonstrated stronger professional wellbeing was associated with less conflict in educator-child relationships and lower risk of staff turnover. This was more likely to be experienced by senior or more experienced staff. Although a negative impact of COVID-19 was reported, ECPW scores were relatively high, and organizational structures supporting professional wellbeing were most strongly associated with lower risk of turnover (r = 0.63, p < 0.001). Findings highlight that supporting EC educators' wellbeing is essential for workforce retention, and for promoting quality educator-child relationships which are central to young children's learning and development.

A cross-sectional online survey was completed by 219 speech-language therapists (SLTs) to explore their views and practices when working with children and adolescents who have literacy difficulties. They were recruited via 11 workshops hosted by Speech Pathology Australia, held across Australia and completed the survey prior to attending their respective workshop. Participants reported overwhelming support for SLTs to work with students struggling to learn literacy and supported not only a role for SLTs to work with children in the preschool years to promote readiness to learn to read at school, but also a role for services to students beyond the early years of school. While SLTs valued specific clinical and collaborative activities, a significant gap was found between their perceived feasibility of those activities and their perceived value. Results show SLTs are less confident providing written support to students than they are in providing phonological awareness and vocabulary interventions. While SLTs clearly value their role in the literacy domain, this study highlights evident gaps in preservice training in this area, as well as a need for improved SLT and teacher knowledge exchange, and collaboration in supporting children and adolescents with literacy difficulties.

Background: Despite the public health implications of language difficulties associated with social disadvantage, there is a dearth of effectiveness studies investigating the effects of targeted speech and language programmes in this area. Aims: To determine the effects of a targeted selective community-based child language intervention programme (Happy Talk), which simultaneously engaged with parents and early childhood educators, in the Republic of Ireland. Methods & Procedures: A mixed methods methodology was applied with quantitative outcome and qualitative process data collected. Effectiveness was examined using a quasi-experimental single blind study design comparing Happy Talk with 'usual care' across four preschools. Qualitative process data were also gathered to examine the acceptability and feasibility of the Happy Talk approach in practice, and to identify factors to improve the probability of successful wider implementation. Child language (PLS-5) and quality-of-life measures were administered pre- and immediately post- the 11-week intervention. Responsiveness was assessed as the parental outcome, and the oral language environment of preschools was measured using the Communication Supporting Classroom Observation Tool (CSCOT). Retrospective acceptability was analysed with reference to the theoretical framework of acceptability (v 2). Outcomes & Results: Pre-/post-expressive and composite language scores were collected for 58 children, and receptive scores for 54 children. Multiple linear regression revealed significant intervention effects for comprehension and total language with large and moderate effect sizes, respectively (0.60 and 0.46 SD). No significant effect was shown for parental responsiveness. No effects were found for the preschool environment or children's quality of life. Preschool staff deemed the programme to be an acceptable method of enhancing children's speech and language skills and rated the intervention positively. Conclusions & Implications: The Happy Talk pilot effectiveness trial shows that comprehension can be improved (with a large effect) in preschool children from areas of social disadvantage, following an 11-week intervention, in which parents and preschool staff are simultaneously engaged. The ecological validity of the programme, as well as feasibility and acceptability to staff, make it a suitable programme to be delivered at scale.

Participant attrition is a significant challenge for longitudinal studies, particularly those involving disadvantaged populations. We attempted to re-engage n = 990 families in a five-year follow-up of a randomised controlled trial of an early childhood parenting intervention. Tracing was attempted for n = 90/990 (9.1%) uncontactable participants. Evidence for the identification of a matching Facebook profile was classified as strong, moderate or weak. A private message was sent to those with strong evidence (n = 63/90, 70.0%), of which 32 responded, 22 agreed to participate and 19 provided data. Compared to participants engaged using traditional methods, those re-engaged through Facebook were more likely at initial recruitment to have a younger child (p =0.02), to be a single parent (p =0.04), less educated (p <0.001), lower income (p =0.01) and in an unemployed household (p <0.001). Findings suggest that social media can be an effective engagement tool, helping to minimise overall and selective attrition in longitudinal studies, particularly for hard-to-reach populations.

Specific features of adult linguistic input may play a larger, or smaller role, at different child ages, across different language outcomes, in different cohorts. This prospective, longitudinal study explored associations between the quantity and quality (i.e. diversity and responsiveness) of maternal linguistic input and child language. This study was derived from an Australian population-based intervention trial. Participants were mother-child dyads at risk of experiencing social adversity (n = 136). Home visits were conducted at 24 and 36 months. At the 24-month visit, mother-child free-play videos were collected. Seven aspects of maternal linguistic input were measured from videos: imitations, expansions, wh-questions, labels, word types, word tokens and mean length of utterance (MLU). Child language was assessed using a standardized measure at 36 months. Maternal MLU and imitations were associated with overall language and expressive vocabulary scores; wh-questions were associated with receptive language scores. By exploring quantity "and" quality, we can appreciate the differential contribution of adult linguistic input to early language abilities in different groups of children. Our findings highlight how imitations of early words/sounds and asking children wh-questions may foster expressive and receptive language development. These findings may be helpful to consider when selecting strategies for use in parent-implemented language promotion activities.

Background: Early reading success is predicated on language and pre-literacy skills. Children who are behind their peers in language and pre-literacy development before formal schooling are less likely to be proficient beginner readers, and difficulties may persist throughout primary school and beyond. We know children experiencing adversity are at greater risk of early language and pre-literacy difficulties; we do not know the prevalence of these difficulties in an Australian adversity context. Aims: To investigate the prevalence and co-occurrence of language and pre-literacy difficulties in a cohort of Australian 5-year-old children experiencing social adversity. Methods & Procedures: Data were drawn from a large Australian community-based trial of nurse home visiting (right@home), which aimed to support women experiencing social adversity from pregnancy until their child turned 2 years of age. Social adversity was determined by two of more risk factors: young pregnancy, not living with another adult, no support, poorer health, current smoker, long-term illness, anxious mood, not finishing high school, no household income and no previous employment. Children whose mothers were enrolled in the control group (receiving usual maternal and child healthcare) were included in the current study (n = 359). Language and pre-literacy skills were measured at age 5 using the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamental Preschool--Second Edition (CELF-P2) and the School Entry Alphabetic and Phonological Awareness Readiness Test (SEAPART). Language difficulties were defined as [greater than or equal to] 1.25 standard deviations (SD) below the Australian normative mean on CELF-P2 Core Language scores. Pre-literacy difficulties were defined as children scoring in the Beginner (versus Developing or Competent) criterion-referenced level on the SEAPART First Sound Identification and/or Alphabet Letter Identification subtests. Co-occurrence of language and pre-literacy difficulties was also determined. Outcomes & Results: At the 5-year follow-up, 201/359 (56%) children were assessed (mean age = 5.1 years, SD = 0.1). Mean Core Language score for this cohort (91.8, SD = 15.9) was 0.54 SD below the normative mean (100, SD = 15). The proportion of children presenting with language difficulties was 24.9%. Regarding pre-literacy skills, 43.8% of children were 'Beginner' for identifying first sounds and 58.6% for identifying alphabet letters/sounds. There was also considerable overlap whereby 76.7% of children with language difficulties also exhibited pre-literacy difficulties. Conclusions & Implications: This is the first empirical Australian-based study highlighting the high prevalence and co-occurrence of language and pre-literacy difficulties in preschool children experiencing social adversity. Clinicians should be aware of co-morbid language and pre-literacy difficulties in disadvantaged populations and consider both areas during assessment and intervention planning.

Background: Parent-child interaction therapies are commonly used by speech and language therapists (SLTs) when providing services to young children with language learning difficulties. However, the way parents react to the demands of such interventions is clearly important, especially for those from socially disadvantaged backgrounds. Parents play a central role in the therapy process so to ensure parent engagement, and to maximize intervention effectiveness, parents' views must be considered. Aims: To explore the expectations and experiences of parents from socially disadvantaged backgrounds who had taken part in a parent-child interaction programme aimed at promoting language development in 2-3 year olds with language difficulties. Methods & Procedures: The sample included parents who had a child aged 2-3 years and had attended a parent-child interaction programme to promote their child's language development. Parents were eligible to take part if they were living in the 30% most deprived areas in a city in the North of England that constituted the study site. Ten parents participated in a qualitative semi-structured face-to-face interview in the home. Framework analysis was used to analyse the interview transcripts. Outcomes & Results: Parents' expectations before taking part in parent-child interaction interventions contribute to how they may engage throughout the intervention process. Barriers include parents' uncertainty about the nature of the intervention and differing attitudes regarding intervention approaches and strategies. Facilitators during the intervention process include gaining support from other parents, reassurance from the SLT regarding their child's language development, and their own ability to support their child's language learning, as well as increased confidence in how they support their child's development. Conclusions & Implications: Parents respond very differently to parent-child interaction intervention for children with language difficulties, depending on their expectations and attitudes towards intervention. Thus, it is critical that these different perspectives are understood by practitioners before intervention commences to ensure successful engagement.

This paper describes the research protocol for the Educational and Developmental Gains in Early Childhood (EDGE) Study, which will examine the implementation of two years of funded kindergarten prior to the first year of school in Victoria, Australia. EDGE will examine whether children's language, cognitive, social-emotional, and behavioural outcomes are improved after two years of kindergarten compared to one year. The experiences of (and impacts on) teachers, service leaders, and families will also be examined. The study includes a cross-sectional cohort of 95 early childhood education and care (ECEC) services, and an embedded longitudinal observational cohort of children attending these services. Case studies of 15–20 ECEC services will also be collected, in addition to interviews with policy stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Variations in parenting, more specifically less responsive and more directive parenting, contribute to language difficulties for children experiencing adversity. Further investigation of associations between specific responsive and directive behaviours and child language is required to understand how behaviours shape language over time within different populations. As language is dyadic, further exploration of how mother-child interactions moderate associations is also important. Aims: To investigate associations between specific responsive and directive maternal behaviours, the quality of mother-child interaction (fluency and connectedness) and child language in a cohort experiencing adversity. Methods & Procedures: Pregnant women experiencing adversity were recruited from maternity hospitals in Australia. At 12 months, videos of mother-infant free play were collected. Videos were coded for maternal behaviours and fluency and connectedness (n = 249). At 36 months, child language was measured using a standardized language test. Linear regression models were used to examine associations and the moderating role of fluency and connectedness was explored. Outcomes & Results: Responsive yes/no questions were positively associated with language scores. Unsuccessful redirectives were negatively associated with language scores. The moderation effect of fluency and connectedness was equivocal in the current data. Conclusions & Implications: Findings reproduce and extend previous research highlighting key features of mother-child interactions associated with child language trajectories. Findings also augment knowledge of risk and protective factors related to language for children experiencing adversity and highlight where targeted interventions might be successful.

Research Findings: This study aims to extend our knowledge regarding contributions of educator–child interactions to child language outcomes by examining the extent to which specific dimensions of the CLASS observational tool of educator–child interactions are associated with child language abilities, utilizing data from an Australian longitudinal study of over 2,000 children attending formal Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC). The analysis included a novel measurement model fitted to the data to allow each CLASS dimension to be modeled separately. Results showed that each CLASS dimension was associated with initial average language abilities. Small, negative effects of Emotional Support dimensions on growth of children's average Understanding Directions score were found, but there were no associations between any of the dimensions and average growth in Verbal Ability. None of the Instructional Support dimensions (which are language focused) predicted growth in language abilities. These null findings are addressed in the discussion. Practice or Policy: Findings from this study illustrate that, typically, ECEC programs rate low on dimensions of quality developed to capture language-promoting educator–child interactions. Findings also suggest a selection effect related to equity of access to classroom quality with children with the highest initial language abilities in the highest quality classrooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early childhood education and care programmes provide opportunities to enhance children's learning and development, especially when high-quality learning experiences and educator-child interactions are embedded within them. However, the quality of early childhood education programmes varies greatly. Quality in early childhood education and care is conceptualised in three domains: structural, process and system. Understanding how to drive quality improvements in early childhood education and care relies on clear, consistent evidence concerning each of these domains, however, the current literature is not comprehensive. This scoping review maps the extent and consistency of the research literature in each domain of quality to identify knowledge gaps and inform future research. Through a search of the peer-reviewed literature, 85 meta-analyses and systematic reviews meeting our inclusion criteria were identified. We found a wide variation in the number of included studies in each domain and sub-domain of quality. We found the greatest number of meta-analyses and systematic reviews related to programmes, interventions, and curricula (process quality) and professional development and support (structural quality). The literature included in this scoping review is heterogeneous and of varying methodological quality, with inconsistent or contradictory findings. The research is most consistent in relation to pedagogy, professional development and support, and programmes, interventions, and curricula (process quality) and learning environments (structural quality). Interactions between the different domains of quality are complex and future research should focus on the associations between different features of quality in early childhood education programmes and practices that are critical to implementing successful continuous improvement initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Parent-reported measures of early communication have limitations for use with infants experiencing adversity. Observational measures of early non-verbal and verbal communicative behaviours and mother-child turn-taking may provide a complementary method of capturing early communication skills for these children. Aims: To explore the predictive validity of verbal and non-verbal behaviours and mother-child conversational turn-taking (fluency and connectedness) at child age 12 months in relation to language measures at 24 and 36 months in a cohort of infants experiencing adversity. Methods & Procedures: Pregnant women experiencing adversity were recruited from maternity hospitals in Australia. At 12 months, 190 infants were videoed during mother-child free-play. Verbal and non-verbal communicative behaviours and fluency and connectedness were measured from the 12-month videos. Predictive validity of 12-month behaviours was calculated in relation to mean length of utterance and number of unique words at 24 months and Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals Preschool--Second Edition (CELF-P2) Core Language scores at 36 months. Outcomes & Results: All 12-month behaviours had adequate specificity but poor sensitivity when compared with other predictive validity studies using published early language measures. However, in adjusted regression models, fluency and connectedness and verbal behaviours at 12 months predicted unique words at 24 months. Fluency and connectedness also predicted CELF-P2 scores at 36 months. Conclusions & Implications: Findings reconfirm the difficulty in early identification of children at risk of later language difficulties. All 12-month measures were more accurate at identifying those children who will have better language than those children who will not. As fluency and connectedness was the only measure to predict 24- and 36-month language in adjusted regression models, it may be an important factor to consider when measuring early language skills for infants experiencing adversity. Future research could combine observational measures of early communication and fluency and connectedness with other predictors of language to try to increase prediction accuracy.

Background: Identifying risk and protective factors for language development informs interventions for children with developmental language disorder (DLD). Maternal responsive and intrusive communicative behaviours are associated with language development. Mother-child interaction quality may influence how children use these behaviours in language learning. Aims: To identify (1) communicative behaviours and interaction quality associated with language outcomes; (2) whether the association between a maternal intrusive behaviour (directive) and child language scores changed alongside a maternal responsive behaviour (expansion); and (3) whether interaction quality modified these associations. Methods & Procedures: Language skills were assessed at 24, 36 and 48 months in 197 community-recruited children who were slow to talk at 18 months. Mothers and 24-month-olds were video-recorded playing at home. Maternal praise, missed opportunities, and successful and unsuccessful directives (i.e., whether followed by the child) were coded during a 10-min segment. Interaction quality was rated using a seven-point fluency and connectedness (FC) scale, during a 5-min segment. Linear regressions examined associations between these behaviours/rating and language scores. Interaction analysis and simple slopes explored effect modification by FC. Outcomes & Results: There was no evidence that missed opportunities or praise were associated with language scores. Higher rates of successful directives in the unadjusted model and unsuccessful directives in the adjusted model were associated with lower 24-month-old receptive language scores (e.g., unsuccessful directives effect size (ES) = -0.41). The association between unsuccessful directives and receptive language was weaker when adjusting for co-occurring expansions (ES = -0.34). Both types of directives were associated with poorer receptive "and" expressive language scores in adjusted models at 36 and 48 months (e.g., unsuccessful directive and 48-month receptive language, ES = -0.66). FC was positively associated with 24-, 36- and 48-month language scores in adjusted models (e.g., receptive language at 24 months, ES = 0.21, at 48 months, ES = 0.18). Interaction analysis showed the negative association between successful directives and 24-month receptive language existed primarily in poorly connected dyads with low FC levels. Conclusions & Implications: These findings illustrate the effects of the combined interaction between different maternal communicative behaviours and features of the interaction itself on child language development, and the need to consider both in research and practice. Whilst more intrusive directives were associated with poorer language scores, this association attenuated when adjusting for co-occurring responsive expansions, and the association was strongest for children in lower quality interactions. This work may inform clinical practice by helping clinicians target the most appropriate communicative behaviours for specific mother-child dyads.

Background: Evidence suggests that language and social, emotional and behavioural (SEB) difficulties are associated in children and adolescents. When these associations emerge and whether they differ by language or SEB difficulty profile is unclear. This knowledge is crucial to guide prevention and intervention programmes for children with language and SEB difficulties. Aims: To determine whether receptive and expressive language skills are associated with internalizing and externalizing behaviours in slow-to-talk toddlers. Methods & Procedures: In a community-based prospective study of 200 slow-to-talk children, language was measured at 24 and 36 months using Preschool Language Scale 4th Edition and at 48 months using Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals-Preschool 2nd Edition. Internalizing and externalizing behaviours were measured by parent report at each age. Longitudinal data were analysed using repeated-measures regression, with up to three observations per child. Robust standard errors were used to account for non-independence of measures within participants. The shape of the associations were examined by fitting quadratic and cubic terms. The effects of confounders on the associations were examined. Outcomes & Results: Receptive language had a negative linear association with internalizing behaviours after adjusting for confounders (ß = -0.16, 95% [CI = -0.26, -0.07], p =0 .001); and a negative curved association with externalizing behaviours after adjusting for biological confounders (ß[subscript quadratic] = 0.08 [0.01, 0.15], p = 0.03, ß[subscript cubic] = -0.04 [-0.07, -0.02], p = 0.001), attenuating after adjusting for environmental confounders (ß[subscript quadratic] = 0.06 [-0.01, 0.13], p = 0.09, ß[subscript cubic] = -0.03 [-0.06, -0.003], p = -0.03). The curvature suggests that the negative association with externalizing behaviours only existed for children with either very low or very high receptive language scores. After controlling for confounders, there was no evidence that expressive language scores were associated with internalizing (ß = -0.08, 95% [CI = -0.17, 0.01], p = 0.10) or externalizing behaviours (ß = 0.03, 95% [CI = -0.09, 0.18], p = 0.61). Tests of interaction revealed no evidence of a differential association by age. Conclusions & Implications: In 24-48-month-old slow-to-talk children, lower receptive language scores were associated with higher internalizing behaviours. The magnitude of the association was small. For children with very poor receptive language scores, lower receptive language skills were associated with higher externalizing behaviours. Young children with low receptive language abilities may be at risk of internalizing difficulties; those with very low receptive language skills may be at particular risk of externalizing difficulties. This has clinical implications for interventions for young children with receptive language difficulties.

The aims of this study were to establish a Research Network of Early Childhood Professionals and to identity network members' top research priorities and preferred research methods. Australian early childhood education (ECE) professionals were invited to participate in a Delphi-style survey. In Stage 1, participants were asked to describe the most important issues in ECE that need addressing; from this, a 'top 20' list of the most common research priorities was generated. In Stage 2, respondents were asked to prioritise the top 20 research topics and to rate their interest in participating in various methods of research. A total of 182 ECE professionals completed the Stage 1 survey (pre-COVID-19), yielding 34 topics of research interest. Ninety-four respondents completed the Stage 2 survey (during the COVID-19 pandemic), ranking the top three most important research topics as: educator wellbeing and mental health, child wellbeing and mental health, and professional learning and development. Members of the network appear to be interested in participating in ECE research and their research priorities can help highlight real-world issues warranting further investigation. Facilitating research that addresses prioritised ECE areas is particularly timely given the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic across the ECE sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Maternal responsiveness has been shown to predict child language outcomes in clinical samples of children with language delay and non-representative samples of typically developing children. An effective and timely measure of maternal responsiveness for use at the population level has not yet been established. Aims: To determine whether a global rating of maternal responsiveness at age 2 years predicts language outcomes at ages 3 and 4 in a community sample of slow-to-talk toddlers. Methods & Procedures: In an Australian population-based study, at child age 1:6 years, 301 slow-to-talk toddlers (scoring =20th percentile on a parent-reported expressive vocabulary checklist) were invited to take part in a 15-min free-play video of mother-child interaction at 2:0 years. Each free-play video was rated for maternal responsiveness using a five-point global rating scale, where 1 is "very low" responsiveness and 5 is "very high" responsiveness. Language skills were measured at 3:0 years using PLS-4 and at 4:0 years using the CELF-P2. Outcomes & Results: In adjusted linear regression models (potential confounders: gender, maternal education, socioeconomic status) maternal responsiveness strongly predicted receptive, expressive and total language standard scores at ages 3 (coefficient = 5.9, p < 0.001; coefficient = 5.4, p < 0.001; coefficient = 6.2, p < 0.001, respectively) and 4 years (coefficient = 4.6, p < 0.001; coefficient = 3.1, p = 0.004; coefficient = 4.0, p < 0.001, respectively). Conclusions & Implications: Slow-to-talk toddlers of mothers with higher global ratings of responsiveness have higher language scores at 3 and 4 years of age. This global measure of maternal responsiveness could be further developed as a clinical tool for identifying which slow-to-talk toddlers are most in need of early intervention.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the wellbeing of children and families globally. With extended lockdown periods, early childhood education and school closures, and remote learning, families experienced increased stress and anxiety, financial hardship, and disrupted routines. This paper aims to explore associations between children's social-emotional wellbeing and environmental factors (including the burden of COVID-19 on the family, early learning experiences in the home and early childhood education, and parent wellbeing and mental health) during COVID-19 in Australia and Germany, two countries that experienced significant lockdown periods. Using a longitudinal online survey design, parents of young children (aged 1–6 years) in Australia (N = 66) and Germany (N = 53) completed surveys on their own wellbeing; their child's wellbeing; the home learning environment, and their satisfaction with early childhood education and care at two time points in 2020 and 2021. The burden of COVID-19 mitigation measures on families' everyday lives correlated with child wellbeing outcomes in both the Australian and German cohorts. Findings also provide evidence of potential protective factors of children's social-emotional wellbeing during stressful events, such as the lockdowns experienced by families in Germany and Australia during the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]