한국 영유아 교육·보육 패널 연구(Korean ECEC Panel Study)

Abstract

Multifaceted and complex developmental trajectory are known to affect the healthy growth and development of children. Therefore, a longitudinal approach for childhood growth is required with time-dimension from the beginning of life to the grown-up and with multi surroundings from the utero environment to community levels. Korean Early Childhood Education and Care Panel study (K-ECEC study) was designed to dissolve the confront issues coming up with low birth rate and support children grow healthy under the social and national surroundings in Korea. Particularly, K-ECEC study is aimed to collect information on educational and child-care-related variables among Korean infants and toddlers from the early stage of life for a decade. K-ECEC study applied various study methods. Firstly, literature review was conducted to assort and organize prior researches related with child education and care among domestic and international studies. Secondly, sample design and practical sampling strategy were invented to invite hospitals and expectant mothers under regional strata. Finally, advisory groups were invited to develop study design and protocol. Advisory groups were consisted with medical doctors, professionals in childhood development and education and these groups assisted to enroll survey pool, develop and finalize survey domain and questionnaire. Questionnaire domains and variables were assorted from the 1st year (2022) to the 9th year (2030) and explored and examined by advisory groups with their specialty in early childhood education and care. Planning was designed with the order of sampling strategy and protocol including plans to invite and maintain panels, survey domain and variables over the next 10 years, and survey preparation. Firstly, as outputs of sampling strategy and protocol, decision of target population, number of sampling, sampling methods were finalized and complex sampling method was applied with strata of region and level of hospitals. Approximately 3,500 new-borns target samples include 400 participants out of income disparity households and another 400 participants from multi-cultural families ,and parents of all household types are also included. The target number of participants were allocated by region and characteristics of household and twins and premature births are allowed to the sample. Secondly, survey composition and domain were invented out of theoretical basis. Main survey domain was composited with characteristic of child, parent, family, education and child-care service, community, and policy. Survey variables for each domain were explored and developed by advisory groups and survey questionnaire were scheduled according to childhood developmental stage. As a result, Basic Survey-I and II focused on socio-demographic characteristics and health conditions of expectant mothers and their spouses are prepared and scheduled upon 16 weeks and 32-37 weeks of pregnancy respectively. Lastly, Basic Survey-I has been proceeded right after the enrollment of expectant mother recruited at the hospitals and face-to-face survey protocol was applied. Afterwards, online Basic Survey II has been followed for the expectant mothers when their pregnancy was on the third trimester. Currently, hospital registry by region and levels of hospitals is on the procedure and data collection. The K-ECEC study started this year and still has a long way to go and plans for up-coming years are as following. Firstly, a survey of the child and the parent of the child will be conducted with visiting the household every year since 2023 up to 2030. Particularly, variables related with institutionalized education and its teachers will be examined when the participants are 3-year-old. Secondly, data collection of Basic survey-I and II will be continued unto the first half of 2022 and basic analysis and release for the overall participant regarding socio-demographic distribution and pregnancy-birth outcome will be conducted during the other half of 2022. The first household visiting interview for extensive survey will be conducted individually at the time that the participant babies are 4-month old. Lastly, promoting activities to maintain the survey participants are expected along with achievement of academic knowledge and evidences for developing adequate policies.