A Programmatic Evaluation of School Preparedness for Latinx Children and Families: A Partnership Program

Access: Institutional Access

Publication year

2020

study description

Quality improvement.

core topic(s)

Early Literacy

Population Characteristics

Immigrant , Race, Ethnicity, and Culture

Exposures, Outcomes, Other

Child Development (general) , Community , Connections for Child Development , Home Visitation , Play , Programs and Interventions (other) , School Readiness and Educational Outcomes

metric(s)

Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ)

objectives

The purpose of this paper is to provide a programmatic evaluation of a culturally sensitive parenting and school preparedness program for first-generation Latinx children using a home visitation model with community health workers (CHWs).

exposure

Connections for Child Development (CCD).

outcomes evaluated

Childhood development in the home.

setting

Families identified as immigrants, Spanish speaking, and with at least one child aged 0-5 were recruited. Over half of the parent participants reported Mexico as their country of origin, 11% reported other (e.g., Bolivia, Peru, Venezuela, Columbia, Dominica, El Salvador, Nicaragua). The highest percentage of children lived in Berkeley County (61%), followed by Charleston County (35%) and Dorchester County (4%).

methods

A cultural and linguistic appropriate program was developed in coordination with the state's largest Latinx advocacy organization and two patient-centered pediatric medical homes (PCPMHs) after securing extramural grant funding for an evidenced-based home visitation program using skilled community health workers (CHWs) aimed at Latinx children at the age of 0-5 years and their caregivers. The program includes developmental screenings using the Ages & Stages Questionnaires®, Third Edition (ASQ®-3), CHW role modeling of developmentally appropriate play, early literacy, connection to resources, oral health, nutrition, and physical activity.

sample size

n=103 (children)

measures

Measure of Development in the Home: pre and post intervention administration of Ages & Stages Questionnaires®, Third Edition (ASQ®-3) involving 6 questions about 5 major developmental domains (communication gross motor, fine motor, problem-solving, personal social).

results

Of the 103 unique children represented in this programmatic evaluation that received an initial and follow-up ASQ®-3 developmental screening, paired t-tests indicate statistically significant improvement in mean scores from the first to second ASQ®-3 in all five major developmental domains with the largest gains represented in the communication and fine motor skill domains.

conclusions

This evaluation suggests that low-frequency home visits from skilled CHWs can have a beneficial effect on development in early childhood. PPCMHs can serve as a hub for these community-based programs.

limitations

Additional evaluations will need to be completed to assess if this increase is sustained over time or diminishes at completion of the program and to assess parental hesitancy and satisfaction with the program. Bias exists for children that did not receive a second ASQ®-3 when they scored in the monitoring category on their first evaluation given that some of their peers did receive a second ASQ®-3 and are included in this sample. Sample size was solely determined by participant children that received two ASQ®-3 screenings; they are the only participants reflected in this evaluation.