Positive behaviour in the early years: research report

Report of research into perceptions of staff, service providers and parents in managing and promoting positive behaviour in early years and early primary settings.


ANNEX 1 ELABORATION OF RESEARCH METHODS

1 (i) Participants - sample description
1 (ii) Response rate

1 (i) Participants - sample description

Most of the analysis has been based on the 603 cases for which complete data is held. The tables below show the actual sample numbers and these are reflected in certain returns, for example in the Strengths and Difficulties questionnaires and the Well-Being and Involvement Scales.

1.1.1. Number of children identified for participation

Number of Children

0-3

3-4

4-5

P1

City of Edinburgh

124

212

288

240

864

North Lanarkshire

122

324

325

334

1105

Total

246

536

613

574

1969

The initial design of the project proposed to recruit 1,000 child cases in each local authority. Care was taken to bring in 100 children in the 0-3 strata, 300 strata in 3-4, 300 strata in 4-5 and 300 in 5-6 strata. The figures here show the numbers achieved in the sample by age strata and by local authority. Although there was a discrepancy in the sample sizes by local authority, returns from Edinburgh exceeded returns from North Lanarkshire.

1.1.2. Number of participating parents

Local Authority

Number of Children

Number of Parental Returns

Percentage Parental Returns

City of Edinburgh

864

360

42%

North Lanarkshire

1105

369

33%

Overall Total

1969

729

37%

Average Return Rate per Setting

45%

Number of parent cases with complete data

Although there were 729 parental returns overall , our merged parent file on which our analyses have been based has 603 cases.

As with the number of children there is a difference between actual families recruited, returns and the final number of cases with complete data. Some measures can be reported by the actual total per measure, eg the Parenting Daily Hassles which achieved 724 returns - 603 of which matched up with other data from measures completed.

In the 603 cases used across measures, characteristics of the cohort emerge.

1.1.3. Relationship to child

Most returns were completed by mothers (n=544), a small number (n=39) completed by fathers only, and a very few being completed by both parents (n=7). Of the families represented in the sample, 77% were living as a two-parent family; 26% of these were living in reconstituted families.

Frequency

Percent

Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

Valid

Mother

544

90.2

91.0

91.0

Father

39

6.5

6.5

97.5

Guardian

3

.5

.5

98.0

Grandparent

5

.8

.8

98.8

Both Parents

7

1.2

1.2

100.0

Total

598

99.2

100.0

Missing

0

5

.8

Total

603

100.0

1.1.4. Child's gender

The sample of children was very evenly divided in terms of gender - the 603 cases was made up of 306 boys and 297 girls.

Frequency

Percent

Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

Valid

Male

306

50.7

50.7

50.7

Female

297

49.3

49.3

100.0

Total

603

100.0

100.0

1.1.5. Child's Additional Needs

In response to our question about whether additional needs were present, 108 parents responded. The categories were very broad and parents reported that 14% of the total sample of 603 had sensory or physical difficulties - this included children with allergies, however we did not ask for these needs to be specified. Only 7 children were reported by parents as having been diagnosed with additional support needs - this figure is much lower than would be expected, and conflicts with the reporting of service providers/heads of centres - where, for example, one centre alone reported 10 cases of children with ASN. This suggests that few parents of children with ASN responded to the questionnaires.

1 (ii) Response rate
Final Overview - June 2006
(Excludes 2nd round of well-being & involvement screening)

Strata

Children identified for involvement

Returned

% Return Rate

Background Information Form

All

1,969

713

36.21%

Parenting Daily Hassles

All

1,969

724

36.77%

Well-being Scales

Overall

1,969

1,230

62.47%

0-3

246

94

38.21%

3-4

536

305

56.90%

4-5

613

450

73.41%

P1

574

381

66.38%

Involvement Scales

Overall

1,969

1,208

61.35%

0-3

246

95

38.62%

3-4

536

309

57.65%

4-5

613

405

66.07%

P1

574

399

69.51%

Strengths & Difficulties Questionnaire

Parents

Staff

Parents

Staff

0-3

246

60

61

24.39%

24.80%

3-4

536

227

345

42.35%

64.37%

4-5 & P1

1,187

426

847

35.89%

71.36%

Total

1,969

713

1253

36.21%

63.64%

Adult Strategies Questionnaire

Parents

Staff

Parents

Staff

All

1,969

675

168

34.28%

X

Transitions Questionnaire

Parents

Staff

Parents

Staff

0-3

246

60

35

24.39%

X

3-4 & 4-5

1,149

439

75

38.21%

X

P1

574

203

18

35.37%

X

Total

1,969

702

128

35.65%

X

Well-being and Involvement Return Overview
Round 1 & Round 2
(Raw figures for returns

Well-being

Children Involved

Return
1st round

Return
2 ndround

Return
1 st round

Return
2 ndround

Overall

1,969

1,230

813

62.47%

41.29%

0-3

246

94

35

38.21%

14.22%

3-4

536

305

187

56.90%

34.88%

4-5

613

450

251

73.41%

40.94%

P1

574

381

340

66.38%

59.23%

Involvement

Children Involved

Return
1st round

Return
2 ndround

Return
1 st round

Return
2 ndround

Overall

1,969

1,208

826

61.35%

41.95%

0-3

246

95

34

38.62%

13.82%

3-4

536

309

188

57.65%

35.07%

4-5

613

405

250

66.07%

40.78%

P1

574

399

352

69.51%

61.32%

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