AI Article Synopsis
- * A national survey conducted in 2017 found these children experienced the lowest childcare quality, particularly in higher-GDP provinces, where they are at greater risk of developmental delays.
- * The conclusions suggest that while urban migration boosts household income, it also leads to a decline in childcare quality, highlighting the need for policies to address job and income disparities between rural and urban areas.
Article Abstract
Background: Inequalities in job opportunities and income prompts many Chinese parents to leave rural regions to work in urban regions. Their children are left behind in rural regions, subjected to worse quality of childcare that jeopardizes their development. This study aimed to examine the association between quality of childcare and delayed child development in under-three years children left behind in China.
Methods: Cross-sectional national survey was conducted in children left behind in rural China in 2017. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was used to develop a quality of childcare index. Mutlilevel analyses determined factors associated with quality of childcare and child development on a province and individual level.
Result: The largest population of at-risk children left behind were found in higher-GDP provinces. Children left behind had the lowest mean quality of childcare score. Multilevel analysis found that province level accounted for a great proportion of variance observed.
Conclusions: While migration to urban regions for work may improve household income, a trade-off in worse quality of childcare and developmental delays exists. With improving household income often being the greatest contributing factor for parental migration, policies to reduce inequalities in job opportunities and wealth between rural and urban regions are required.
Impact: Previous studies identified higher prevalence of developmental delays in children left behind in China. However, quality of childcare has not been examined. Based on WHO's Nurturing Care Framework, we developed a quality of childcare index to assess its association with child development in children left behind. Greatest proportion of children left behind at-risk of developmental delays resided in higher-GDP states, indicating a trade-off in worse quality of childcare and developmental delays. Since improving household income is the main factor for parental migration, policies to close inequalities in job opportunities and wealth between rural and urban regions are required.
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Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10899099 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41390-023-02840-7 | DOI Listing |
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