Group-based management for development practice on self-assessment and surveillance of early childhood development among child caregivers and teachers in child development center, Local Administration Organizations, Phattalung province

Abstract

         We conducted a mixed methods research study with the following aims: 1) to assess the level of knowledge, attitudes, and ability to evaluate and promote the development of preschool-aged children among parents and teachers at Child Development Centers in the Phattalung province, Thailand, and 2) to compare the group management outcomes of parents and teachers at the Child Development Centers. The participants in this study including parent and teacher representatives from the Child Development Center. Children are critical human resources that develop the country in the future. Our study’s participants (n=33) consisted of parents,  officers responsible for environmental health, and teachers selected by purposive sampling from Child Care Centers of the Local Administrative Organization, Phatthalung Province. This study was conducted between August 2019 and 30 June 2021. Moreover, we also used the child development assessment kit to measure child development. We utilized  descriptive statistics (such as frequency, percentage and standard deviation), and analytical statistics (T-test) used to analyze data. Most of the 33 participants were teachers, administrators, and staff responsible for child development promotion. 95.24% of participants were female, and nearly one hundred percent (95.24%) graduated with Bachelor Degree. The average scores (and standard deviation) for knowledge, attitude and assessment capacity were 80.27 (10.24), 75.46 (7.28), and 82.43(12.61); average scores (and SD) increased to 85.77(9.57), 85.45(6.58) and 89.50 (10.20); thus, there were statistically significant differences of 0.022, 0.014 and 0.002, respectively. Participatory Action Research (PAR) is a cycle of research that reflects the thought and practice of focusing on the participation of stakeholders. All participants in our study were engaged in a community that interacted both face-to-face and online to follow up and monitor the group's operations. For example, there is a online Line application group called “Surveillance in Child Care Centre, Phatthalung Province group.” The new platform facilitates cooperation between the researcher, the environmental health officers, and parents to develop or communicate about assessment and surveillance in environmental health, safety and child development of child care center undertaken by The Local Administrative Organization