Papers by Edward Melhuish
Early Child Development and Care, Aug 11, 2020
Please refer to published version for the most recent bibliographic citation information. If a pu... more Please refer to published version for the most recent bibliographic citation information. If a published version is known of, the repository item page linked to above, will contain details on accessing it.
European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, Dec 19, 2017
In countries with universal access to early childhood education and care (ECEC), child participat... more In countries with universal access to early childhood education and care (ECEC), child participation is high across a range of socioeconomic groups. However, ECEC quality is often varying, and many children spend much time in ECEC settings that are not necessarily high quality. In this observational study, we therefore examined the relationship between observed ECEC quality and children's cognitive development at age three years in Norway-a country that provides universal access to ECEC from age one. The sample comprised 800 children, enrolled in 83 ECEC centers, who were assessed in verbal and non-verbal cognitive ability. ECEC quality was measured with the Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale (ITERS-R), and cognitive outcomes were measured with the Naming Vocabulary and Picture Similarities subtests of the British Ability Scales III (BAS III). The results showed that children's cognitive development at age three was not associated with ECEC quality; irrespective of socioeconomic background.
Self-regulation is defined as a "child's ability to modulate behaviours according to the cognitiv... more Self-regulation is defined as a "child's ability to modulate behaviours according to the cognitive, emotional and social demands of a particular situation" (Calkins & Fox, 2002, p. 479). A review of the literature highlights that different components of self-regulation are used interchangeably in the identification of the construct (i.e., behavioural self-regulation, emotional self-regulation, and social selfregulation), leading to a lack of clarity and the nature of its development. Hammer, Melhuish, Howard & Leeson (2015) found that selfregulation could be explained by four different factors (Academic, Persistence, Behavioural and Fidget), with each influencing different outcomes in the child's academic achievement, social and emotional competence. While the importance of self-regulation has been well-established (e.g., academic achievement, social and emotional competence; (Sylva, Melhuish, Sammons, Siraj-Blatchford, & Taggart, 2007)), the antecedents of self-regulation are less clear (although it has been shown to be influenced by the child's home learning environments, socioeconomic status, parenting style and social interactions; (Karreman, van Tuijl, can Aken, & Deokovic, 2006). Even less clear is the influence these antecedents on the development of self-regulation. The current study presents findings from research that investigated the antecedents of various components of self-regulation, using the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC). The LSAC followed 10,090 children and their families from March 2002, in two cohorts (birth: n =5,107; kindergarten: n = 4,983). Results of the analysis identified differential influences of the antecedents on components of self-regulation. This has important implications for education and furture interventions.
This longitudinal study assesses the attainment and development of children followed from the age... more This longitudinal study assesses the attainment and development of children followed from the age of 3 until the end of Key Stage 1. Over 700 children were recruited to the study during 1998 and 1999 from 80 preschool centres in Northern Ireland. Both qualitative and quantitative methods are used to explore the effects of preschool experience on children's cognitive attainment and social/behavioural development at entry to school and any continuing effects on such outcomes up to 8 years of age. In addition to the effects of preschool experience, the study investigates the contribution to children's development of individual and family characteristics such as gender, family size, parental education and employment. This overview describes the research design and discusses a variety of research issues (methodological and practical) in investigating the impact of preschool provision on children's developmental progress.
WHO Regional Office for Europe eBooks, 2013
The WHO Regional Office for Europe commissioned a European review of social determinants of healt... more The WHO Regional Office for Europe commissioned a European review of social determinants of health and the health divide. The case studies published in these three volumes arise from the review's early years, family and education task group. The task group commissioned experts in the European Region to write case studies addressing childhood and inequality in their contexts. Contributors were asked to identify promising developments that would also have international resonance, to describe the issues they addressed and how they were led and operationalized, and to set out emerging evidence of effectiveness. The result is a diverse collection of case studies presented over three volumes reflecting a "life-course" approach: early years; childhood; and school. Some review major national policy developments and frameworks, others deal with specific national initiatives or with local projects driven by community organizations, and a few focus on transnational initiatives. They do not set out to offer a comprehensive overview of childhood and health in the Region, but provide examples of innovative practice that will inform and inspire policy-makers, practitioners, managers, educators and researchers at country and European levels.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY…………………………………………………………………… i-vi : Introduction……………………………………………………………….. 1 Chapt... more EXECUTIVE SUMMARY…………………………………………………………………… i-vi : Introduction……………………………………………………………….. 1 Chapter One Chapter Two: Design and methods of the EPPNI Study……………………………. 3 The 8 aims of the EPPNI Project……………………………………………………… 3 The sample: regions, centres and children………………………………………….. 4 Child assessments……………………………………………………………………… 4 Measuring child/family characteristics………………………………………………… 5 Preschool Characteristics and Processes…………………………………………… 6 Case Studies……………………………………………………………………………. 6 Analytic Strategy………………………………………………………………………… 6 Preschool effects at entry to school…………………………………………………… 7 The continuing effects of preschool centres at KS1……………………………….. 7 Summary………………………………………………………………………………… 7 Chapter Three: Children and Families at the Start of the Study…………………… 8 How do the sample groups compare?……………………………………………….. 8 What background variables relate to development at the start of the study?……. 9 Chapter Four: The PreSchool Settings: Context and Quality……………………… 11 Observational Profiles of Centres…………………………………………………….. 11 Interviews with Centre managers……………………………………………………… 14 Chapter Five: Case Studies of Preschool Practice………………………………….. 16 Key findings……………………………………………………………………………... 16 Findings from case studies in EPPE in England……………………………………. 18 Chapter Six: Development of Children over the PreSchool Period……………… 21 Background……………………………………………………………………………… 21 Summary of results for cognitive development at the start of primary school…… 21 Summary for Social/Behavioural Development at the Start of Primary School…. 23 Chapter Seven: Development over the first year of primary school……………… 26 Summary of the effects for cognitive development…………………………………. 26 Summary for social /behavioural development over the first year of primary school…………………………………………………………………………………… 28 Chapter Eight: PreSchool Effects up to the end of Year Two…………………….. 32 Summary of the effects for cognitive development…………………………………. 32 Summary of results for social/behavioural development…………………………… 35 Chapter Nine: PreSchool Effects on Children's Social / behavioural development up to the end of Year Three (P3 year)…………………………………. 39 Chapter Ten: Enduring Effects of PreSchool Experience at the end of Key Stage 1 (KS1) at age 8 years?……………………………………………………………. 43 Chapter Eleven: Children 'At Risk' of Special Educational Needs………………… 46 Significant Findings…………………………………………………………………….. 47 Summary and policy implications…………………………………………………….. 51 Chapter Twelve: Summary and messages for policy and practice……………….. 53 Major findings at entry to school………………………………………………………. 53 Major findings at end of Key Stage 1…………………………………………………. 54 Relationship to other research………………………………………………………… 56 References…………………………………………………………………………………… 58 Appendix 1: Glossary of terms…………………………………………………………… 61 Appendix 2: Analysis strategy…………………………………………………………… 65 Appendix 3: EPPNI Technical Papers…………………………………………………… 68 Methodology EPPNI is a longitudinal study and used the following sources of information: standardised child assessments taken over time, child social/behavioural profiles completed by preschool and primary staff, parental interviews, interviews with preschool centre staff, quality rating scales from observation and interviews as well as case studies. EPPNI studied a range of different types of pre-schools and 800+ children from differing social backgrounds across Northern Ireland, and the 'value added' by preschool is examined after taking account of a range of child, parent and home background factors. This is critical to ensure that fair comparison can be made between individual settings and types of provision. Similarly, the study has taken into account the contribution to children's development of background factors such as birth weight, gender, parental qualification/occupations and the home learning environment. The preschool effects reported in this paper are therefore 'net' of child and family factors. Only by taking account of background influences can fair comparison be made across settings. Children were first assessed at three to four years old when they joined the study. These assessments provide a profile of each child's intellectual and social/behavioural development using standardised instruments and reports from the preschool worker who knew the child best. Later assessments occurred at entry to school in order to compare children's progress, taking into account the background factors mentioned above. Further assessments were carried out at the end of Years 1, 2, 3, and 4 of primary school.
Background Aim and objectives Data Statistical analysis Discussion and conclusions 1 INTRODUCTION... more Background Aim and objectives Data Statistical analysis Discussion and conclusions 1 INTRODUCTION Policy background Research background Aim and objectives 2. DATA The Growing up in Scotland (GUS) study Cognitive development Children's activities in the home 3. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
Frontiers in Education, May 7, 2019
In many developed countries it is now the norm for preschool children to spend time outside the h... more In many developed countries it is now the norm for preschool children to spend time outside the home in early childhood education and care (ECEC). Research indicates that attending ECEC can promote longer-term positive life outcomes, which is more likely when the ECEC is of higher quality. In a UK study of 600 ECEC group settings for 3-4 year olds, staff qualifications were predictive of quality at private (for profit) settings. For voluntary (not for profit) settings, which were more homogenous in staff qualifications, having a staff training plan and a better staff to child ratio were found to be significant predictors of quality. However, state funded nursery classes/schools, which tend to have less favorable staff to child ratios than private and voluntary settings, also tended to have higher process quality ratings, where the presence of more highly qualified staff apparently allowed quality to be maintained with a larger number of children per staff member. A comparison of equivalent quality data from separate UK studies, conducted before and after a period of substantial policy change in relation to ECEC quality, indicated that policy change may have powerful effects in improving ECEC quality with implications for long-term child, and potentially adult, well-being.
Trials, Nov 1, 2017
Background: Child maltreatment is a significant public health problem. Group Family Nurse Partner... more Background: Child maltreatment is a significant public health problem. Group Family Nurse Partnership (gFNP) is a new intervention for young, expectant mothers implemented successfully in pilot studies. This study was designed to determine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of gFNP in reducing risk factors for maltreatment with a potentially vulnerable population. Methods: A multi-site, randomized controlled, parallel-arm trial and prospective economic evaluation was conducted, with allocation via remote randomization (minimization by site, maternal age group) to gFNP or usual care. Participants were expectant mothers aged below 20 years with at least one live birth, or aged 20-24 years with no live births and with low educational qualifications. Data from maternal interviews at baseline and when infants were 2, 6 and 12 months, and video-recording at 12 months, were collected by researchers blind to allocation. Cost information came from weekly logs completed by gFNP family nurses and other service delivery data reported by participants. Primary outcomes measured at 12 months were parenting attitudes (Adult-Adolescent Parenting Index, AAPI-2) and maternal sensitivity (CARE Index). The economic evaluation was conducted from a UK NHS and personal social services perspective with cost-effectiveness expressed in terms of incremental cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained. The main analyses were intention-to-treat with additional complier average causal effects (CACE) analyses. Results: Between August 2013 and September 2014, 492 names of potential participants were received of whom 319 were eligible and 166 agreed to take part, 99 randomly assigned to receive gFNP and 67 to usual care. There were no between-arm differences in AAPI-2 total (7 • 5/10 in both, SE 0.1), difference adjusted for baseline, site and maternal age group 0 • 06 (95% CI − 0 • 15 to 0 • 28, p = 0 • 59) or CARE Index (intervention 4 • 0 (SE 0 • 3); control 4 • 7 (SE 0 • 4); difference adjusted for site and maternal age group − 0 • 68 (95% CI − 1 • 62 to 0 • 16, p = 0 • 25) scores. The probability that gFNP is cost-effective based on the QALY measure did not exceed 3%. Conclusions: The trial did not support gFNP as a means of reducing the risk of child maltreatment in this population but slow recruitment adversely affected group size and consequently delivery of the intervention. Trial registration: ISRCTN78814904. Registered on 17 May 2013.
This longitudinal study assesses the attainment and development of children followed between the ... more This longitudinal study assesses the attainment and development of children followed between the ages of 3 and 7 years. Over 700 children were recruited to the study during 1998 and 1999 from 80 preschool centres. Both qualitative and quantitative methods (including multilevel modelling) are used to explore the effects of preschool experience on children's cognitive attainment and social/behavioural development at entry to school and any continuing effects on such outcomes up to 7 years of age. In addition to the effects of preschool experience, the study investigates the contribution to children's development of individual and family characteristics such as gender, family size, parental education and employment. This overview describes the research design and discusses a variety of research issues (methodological and practical) in investigating the impact of preschool provision on children's developmental progress. A parallel study is being carried out in England (EPPE).
European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, Apr 4, 2017
... We are grateful to both the project's Steering and Consultative Committe... more ... We are grateful to both the project's Steering and Consultative Committees for their helpful advice on the study, in particular Rebecca Goldman (DfES Analytical Services). Page 4. ... Professor Pam Sammons Institute of Education, University of London ...
Population medicine, Apr 26, 2023
Population Medicine considers the following types of articles: • Research Papers-reports of data ... more Population Medicine considers the following types of articles: • Research Papers-reports of data from original research or secondary dataset analyses. • Review Papers-comprehensive, authoritative, reviews within the journal's scope. These include both systematic reviews and narrative reviews. • Short Reports-brief reports of data from original research. • Policy Case Studies-brief articles on policy development at a regional or national level. • Study Protocols-articles describing a research protocol of a study. • Methodology Papers-papers that present different methodological approaches that can be used to investigate problems in a relevant scientific field and to encourage innovation. • Methodology Papers-papers that present different methodological approaches that can be used to investigate problems in a relevant scientific field and to encourage innovation. • Letters to the Editor-a response to authors of an original publication, or a very small article that may be relevant to readers. • Editorials-articles written by the Editorial Board or by invited experts on a specific topic. Research Papers Articles reporting research may be full length or brief reports. These should report original research findings within the journal's scope. Papers should generally be a maximum of 4000 words in length, excluding tables, references, and abstract and key points of the article, whilst it is recommended that the number of references should not exceed 36.
Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, Apr 1, 1991
Cadernos de Pesquisa, Apr 1, 2013
Journal of Family Issues, Sep 7, 2021
A survey study of the language and literacy practices of first-generation Turkish immigrant famil... more A survey study of the language and literacy practices of first-generation Turkish immigrant families with 3- to 6-year-old children was conducted in England. Information on family socioeconomic background, migration history and language skills of 168 first-generation Turkish parents was collected through structured interviews in Greater London and Northwest England. The study findings suggest that early childhood experiences that are important for the educational attainment of immigrant children may be affected by the family characteristics and the integration experiences of parents. Regression analyses demonstrated that parents from disadvantaged backgrounds engaged in language and literacy activities less often and preferred Turkish as the interaction language at home. Parent’s social integration, measured via parent’s length of residence and English skills, significantly predicted their language use with their children. Low social integration was associated with increased Turkish use, whereas high social integration was associated with more frequent language and literacy activities at home.
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Papers by Edward Melhuish