The purpose of the study was to learn whether an index derived from a telephone survey from the Midwest Child Care Research Consortium was as predictive of quality in family child care homes as assessed by the Family Day Care Rating Scale (FDCRS; Harms & Clifford, 1989) and the Caregiver Interaction Scale (CIS; Arnett, 1989). The index was used to examine the relationships between the licensing status, regulatable characteristics, as well as non-regulatable characteristics and the family child care quality as measured by the FDCRS and the CIS. The function of characteristics that cannot be regulated was examined. Correlations revealed statistically significant relationships between the index and the FDCRS and the CIS scores. Results of hierarchical regression analyses showed that the non-regulatable characteristics partially mediate the licensing status as well as the regulatable characteristics in predicting quality in family child care homes as measured by the FDCRS and the CIS and that licensing was the single most important factor that predicted the quality of family child care homes in this study. The index established from this research may serve as guidelines/criteria for policy makers when making decisions on regulations for family child care homes. In addition, the index may serve as a screening tool for parents to identify high-quality family child care homes when making decisions for child care arrangements. Implications for future research in assessing quality in family child care homes using the index are discussed.

Abstracts of dissertations available on microfilm or as xerographic reproductions.

Building on feedback from the field, as well as current research on supporting young children’s development and learning, the authors have revised and updated the widely used Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale®. FCCERS-3 is the next-generation assessment tool for use in home-based child care programs for children from infancy through school age (birth to age 12). FCCERS-3 focuses on the full range of needs of the wide age-range of children often found in family child care programs. Further, the scale assesses both environmental provisions and provider-child interactions that contribute to children’s learning and development, including language, cognitive, social-emotional, and physical development, as well as concerns for health and safety. FCCERS-3 is appropriate for state- and district-wide QRIS and continuous quality improvement, for provider self-assessment, and as a learning or monitoring tool within networks of family providers. The established reliability and validity of the scale make it particularly useful for research and program evaluation with family child care programs. While the approach to assessing quality and the scoring process remain the same for the new FCCERS-3, users will find the following improvements informed by extensive use of the FCCERS in the field and by the most recent research: Enhanced focus on interactions and the role of the provider. Six new language and literacy Items. A new Item on math experiences. A new approach to scoring based solely on observation of ongoing program activity (3-hour time sample). The elimination of the Parents and Provider subscale and provider interview, freeing up time for observing more actual programming. Improved indicator scaling, providing more precise and useful scores for use in self-improvement and professional development. Reduced emphasis on the number of materials, along with greater emphasis on how materials are used to encourage learning. Suitable for use in inclusive and culturally diverse programs, FCCERS-3 subscales evaluate: Space and Furnishings Personal Care Routines Language and Books Activities Interaction Program Structure For further information, please visit the Environment Rating Scales Website: ers.fpg.unc.edu

Vols. for 1963- include as pt. 2 of the Jan. issue: Medical subject headings.