Health of School-Aged Children in 11+ Hours of Center-Based Care

With increasing numbers of women joining the evening/nighttime and extended-hour workforce, there is a need for quality childcare during these hours. This project, conducted in Japan, sought to compare the effects of expanded child-care on the health of 271 school-aged children. Parents completed a survey on the childrearing environment at home, their feelings of self-efficacy, and the presence of support for childcare; and childcare professionals evaluated the development of these school-aged children. Children responded to questions regarding their health. Results of the multiple regression analysis indicate that factors in the home environment, not length of time in center-based care, explained health risks at school age.