Views of Infant Day Care from an Ecological Perspective

Abstract

"If we apply what we know today, we can make a significant impact on the future" (Green 1983). There is a large body of research on the direct effects of day care on children, which if analyzed in an ecological framework and tested for applicability to the variable resources and needs of Hawaii's communities, can serve as a base for decision making and policy planning. The purpose of this study is to look at infant care from an ecological perspective and synthesize models which can be applied in Hawaii. Using a systems approach with a critical review of the recent literature, a distinction between the theoretical and applied research on the effects of group care on infants will be proposed. The issues will be identified and outlined for integration with the theories.