ERIC ED478790: A Descriptive Study of Head Start Families: FACES Technical Report I.

472 Pages·5.3 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
PS 031 432
ED 478 790
O'Brien, Robert W.; D'Elio, Mary Ann; Vaden-Kiernan, Michael;
AUTHOR
Magee, Candice; Younoszai,-Tina4- Keane, Michael J.; -Connell,
David C.; Hailey, Linda
A Descriptive Study of Head Start Families: FACES Technical
TITLE
Report I.
Administration for Children, Youth, and Families (DHHS),
INSTITUTION
Washington, DC. Head Start Bureau.; Administration for
Children and Families (DHHS), Washington, DC.
2002-01-00
PUB DATE
471p.
NOTE
HHS-105-96-1930
CONTRACT
Head Start Information and Publication Center, Order
AVAILABLE FROM
Fulfillment Department, P.O. Box 26417, Alexandria, VA 22313-
0417. Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]; e-mail:
[email protected]; Web site:
http://www.headstartinfo.org. For full text:
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/
programs/core/ongoing_research/faces/technical_report/
technical_report.pdf.
Descriptive (141)
Reports
PUB TYPE
EDRS Price MF01/PC19 Plus Postage.
EDRS PRICE
Case Studies; *Client Characteristics (Human Services);
DESCRIPTORS
Diversity (Student); *Family Characteristics; Family
Involvement; Grandparents Raising Grandchildren; Interviews;
Parent Participation; Parents; Preschool Children; Preschool
Education; Preschool Teachers; Program Descriptions
Family Functioning; Family Strengths; *Head Start Family and
IDENTIFIERS
Child Experiences Survey; Head Start Program Performance
Standards; *Project Head Start
ABSTRACT
Recognizing that families have played an essential role in
the Head Start philosophy since the program's inception, the Head Start
Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES) is an effort to develop a
descriptive profile of families participating in the Head Start program and
services, as well as to develop, test, and refine Program Performance
Measures for Head Start. The findings in this technical report focus on
descriptions of the characteristics and experiences of children and families
served by Head Start grantees and information about programs and staff.
Participating in FACES were staff and families in 40 programs randomly
selected from the 1,734 programs operating during 1995-1996. The report is
(2) information
(1) introduction to the study;
organized into six sections:
about families and children drawn from interviews with Head Start parents;
(3) information about staff and program activities drawn from interviews with
(4) findings from case studies of 120 Head Start families
Head Start staff;
(5) findings of the community agency
selected from the larger sample;
substudy drawn from interviews with community agency administrators; and (6)
discussion of study findings drawn across the entire array of data sources.
Across the variety of data sources, the findings lead to the following
(2) Head Start families are
(1) Head Start families are diverse;
conclusions:
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the ori¢inal document.
(3) Head Start families face multiple challenges and
like other families;
(4) Head Start families are
possess strengths to address these challenges;
(5) parent involvement
active with their children as well as with Head Start;
(6) families benefit from program involvement;
with children is important;
and (7) families were very satisfied with Head Start. (Contains 51
references.)
(KB)
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
od 51
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A Descriptive Study of Head Start Families:
FACES Technical Report I
January 2002
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
CENTER (ERIC)
This document has been reproduced as
Administration for Children and Families
received from the person or organization
originating it.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation
4111111.
O Minor changes have been made to
'go. is
Child Outcomes Research and Evaluation
improve reproduction quality.
Administration for Children, Youth and Families
Points of view or opinions stated in this
document do not necessarily represent
Head Start Bureau
official OERI position or policy.
2
BEST COM/AVAILABLE
This report is dedicated to the memory of
Helen Hollingshed Taylor
Associate Commissioner of Head Start
1994-2000
3
A Descriptive Study of Head Start Families:
FACES Technical Report I
January 2002
Louisa B. Tarullo, Ed.D.
Prepared for:
Commissioner's Office of Research and Evaluation
Administration on Children, Youth and Families
Administration for Children and Families
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Washington, D.C.
Prepared by:
Robert W. O'Brien, Ph.D., Project Director
The CDM Group, Inc.:
Mary Ann D'Elio, M.S., Associate Project Director
Michael Vaden-Kiernan, Ph.D., Senior Analyst
Candice Magee, M.P.H., Research Analyst
Tina Younoszai, Ph.D., Research Analyst
Michael J. Keane, Dr. P.H., Senior Analyst
David C. Connell, Ph.D., Project Director
Abt Associates Inc.:
Linda Hailey, M.Ed., Senior Analyst
This report was prepared for the Administration on Children, Youth, and Families, U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) under contract HHS-105-96-1930, A
Descriptive Study of Families Served by Head Start.
4
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Our sincere appreciation is given to the many children, parents, and local Head Start staff
who participated in the study. Their cooperation and genuine interest in the study, as well as the
efforts of the local Head Start program directors, were major factors in the success of this
project. The opportunity to spend time with Head Start families and staff was truly the highlight
of the study.
TECHNICAL REPORT I: SECTION AUTHORS
David Connell, Robert W. O'Brien
Section I:
Robert W. O'Brien, Mary Ann D'Elio, Michael Vaden-Kiernan, Candice Magee
Section II:
Grayton, Tina Younoszai, Michael J. Keane
Section III:
David Connell, Linda Hailey
Michael Vaden-Kiernan, Mary Ann D'Elio
Section IV:
Mary Ann D'Elio, Michael Vaden-Kiernan
Section V:
Robert W. O'Brien, Mary Ann D'Elio, Michael Vaden-Kiernan
Section VI:
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary
Introduction to the Study
Section I:
Introduction to the Study
1.0
1
Purposes of the Study
2
Head Start Growth and Challenges
2
3
Head Start Families
Head Start Program Performance Measures
5
Conceptual Framework
7
Overview of the Design of the Study
8
Organization of the Report
11
Section II: Head Start Children and Families
Chapter 1: Introduction to the Parent Interview
13
13
Overview
1.1
13
Research Questions
14
Content of the Parent Interview
Organization
14
1.2
Chapter 2: Methodology
15
Overview
15
2.1
The Sample Universe and Sampling Method
15
2.2
The Sample Universe
15
The First-Stage: The Sample of 40 Head Start Programs
17
The Second-Stage: The Sample of Head Start Centers
18
The Third-Stage: The Sample of Head Start Children
19
Response Rates
19
2.3
20
The Instruments
2.4
Staffing
2.5
21
22
Description of Data Collection Procedures
2.6
23
Confidentiality
2.7
23
Tests of Procedures and Instruments
2.8
23
Pilot Test
24
Field Test
24
Data Management and Child Weights
2.9
25
Weights
27
Data Analysis
6
2.10 Strengths and Limitations of the Research
26
Strengths 26
27
Limitations
27
2.11 Parent Interview Description
29
Chapter 3: Head Start Children
29
Overview
3.1
29
Children's Demographics
3.2
Children's Health Status and Reported Disabilities
30
3.3
Children's Behavior and Academic Skills
33
3.4
35
Summary
3.5
Chapter 4: Head Start Families
36
36
Overview
4.1
36
The Primary Caregivers
4.2
38
Age
39
Nativity
39
Marital Status
39
Education and Training
40
Employment
Mothers and Fathers Who Were Not the Interview Respondents
4.3
41
42
Education
42
Employment or Other Status
Financial Support and Visitation of the Head Start Children
43
43
4.4
The Households
44
Monthly Household Income
47
Other Sources of Financial Support
49
Welfare Reform
50
Housing
Medical Health Insurance
52
Health Status of Parents and Household Members
54
Health Care for the Head Start Children
54
54
Medical Homes
54
Sources of Routine Health Care
55
Sources of Care for Illness and Injury
Help from Head Start in Finding Health Care
56
Effects of Insurance and Employment on Sources of Health Care
56
57
Health Care for the Head Start Parents
58
Dental Care for Children
59
Use of Child Care
60
Language
63
Summary
4.5
Chapter 5: Functioning of Head Start Families
74
7
74
Overview
5.1
74
Home Safety Practices
5.2
75
Social Support
5.3
76
Depression
5.4
78
Household Rules
5.5
79
Discipline Practices
5.6
82
Exposure to Violence and Crime
5.7
83
Family Exposure to Violence and Crime
84
Child Exposure to Violence
84
Effects of Violence on Child and Family Outcomes
86
Involvement with the Criminal Justice System
5.8
87
Household Cigarette, Alcohol, and Drug Use
5.9
88
5.10 Family Risk Factors
5.11 Summary
91
Chapter 6: Families' Involvement with Their Children
94
94
Overview
6.1
94
Family and Child Activities
6.2
.99
Fathers' Involvement with Their Children
6.3
100
Descriptive Information on Fathers
Non-Household Fathers' Financial Support of and Visitation
with Their Head Start Children
101
Fathers and Activity with Their Children
101
103
Fathers and Their Effect on Children and Families
106
Fathers and Exposure to Violence
107
Changes Within the Household
6.4
109
Summary
6.5
Chapter 7: Families' Experiences with Head Start
112
112
Overview
7.1
The Children's Involvement with Head Start
112
7.2
113
Parents' Involvement with Head Start
7,3
113
Participation
Relationships between Involvement with Head Start and
Family and Child Factors
114
High, Moderate, and Low Parent Involvement
117
119
Barriers to Participation
120
Perceptions of Head Start
7.4
120
Expectations
Health Behavior Learned at Head Start
124
124
Children's and Parents' Experiences
126
Parent Satisfaction
7.5
Parent Reported Ways to Improve Head Start
127
7.6
128
Summary
7.7
Chapter 8: Head Start's Special Populations
132
Overview of Families of Children with Disabilities
132
8.1
132
Definition of Children with Disabilities
Characteristics of Children with Disabilities
133
8.1.1
133
Ethnicity
133
Gender and Age of Children
134
Geographic Location
134
Child Birthweight
Characteristics of Families of Children with Disabilities
134
8.1.2
134
Age of Parents
134
Nativity of Parents
135
Marital Status
135
Education and Training
Employment Status
135
Household Income
135
136
Housing Status
136
Sources of Support
137
Insurance Coverage
Functioning of Families of Children with Disabilities
137
8.1.3
Social Support
137
Psychological Well Being
138
Social Service Needs
138
138
Health
Involvement with Their Children
139
Child Behavior
139
Neighborhood Environments
140
Relationships with Head Start
8.1.4
141
Program Response to Children with Disabilities
141
Involvement at Head Start
142
Barriers to Participation
143
Satisfaction with the Head Start Experience
143
Summary of Findings on Families of Children with Disabilities
144
8.1.5
Supplemental Table
149
8.1.6
Hispanic Head Start Children and Families
8.2
152
Characteristics of Hispanic Children in Head Start
153
8.2.1
Age and Gender
153
Birthweight and Disabilities
153
Characteristics of Hispanic Families in Head Start
154
8.2.2
Family Residence
154
Nativity of the Parents
154
Language
155
Marital Status and Household Size
156
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