Clinical trial NCT05669378: A Good Start Matters Intervention Study
Official title: A Good Start Matters: Do Supportive Childcare Centre Environments, Policies and Practices Enhance Physical Activity?
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: RECRUITING
Phase: NA
Conditions: Physical Inactivity
Motor Activity
Lead sponsor: University of British Columbia
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
First posted: 2022-12-30
Enrollment: 52
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 30
Standard ages: CHILD
ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: CROSSOVER
Intervention model description: To test the efficacy of ATP+, we will conduct a randomized control trial with 52 facilities - where 26 facilities will be randomized to receive the intervention and while the remaining facilities will receive the standard of care as a waitlist control group and will receive the intervention at 3-month post randomization.
Primary purpose: PREVENTION

Brief summary: The BC government and partners developed Active Play Standards and a capacity-building strategy to help childcare centers implement the Standards. We have developed an intervention to supplement the governmental capacity-building strategies. The intervention is comprised of implementation support strategies targeted at childcare providers in BC that will aid with the sustainment of Active Play best practices at their facilities. The impact of the intervention will be assessed by measuring its impact on a) change in practices with respect to Active Play; and b) improving child-level outcomes (children's physical activity, sedentary behavior, and motor skill competencies). The findings will inform future policies and enhance our understanding of how policy action supported by communication, capacity-building, and sustainment strategies influence the environment of childcare centres.

Detailed description: The Director of Licensing Standard of Practice - Active Play (Active Play Standard), mandates the provision of Active Play opportunities (amount of time spent outdoor, amount of physical activity, provision of fundamental skills) in licensed childcare centers in British Columbia, Canada. To support the implementation of this standard, the province released a capacity-building intervention, called Appetite to Play (ATP). Appetite to Play provides training and support to childcare providers in enhancing physical activity, physical literacy, and healthy eating environments in their facilities. To encourage the sustained use of ATP and aid childcare facilities in maintaining their adherence to the Active Play Standard, we have developed an intervention called, Appetite to Play +, targeted at facility managers and staff. The intervention builds upon ATP and is considered advanced training for childhood educators. The intervention involves the implementation of support strategies focused on integrating Active Play and fundamental movement skills into scheduling, curriculum planning, and creating a supportive environment for Active Play and healthy eating in childcare facilities.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria for childcare center:

* Located in the Metro Vancouver region
* Provides care to at least 10 children older than 2 1/2 years and younger than 6 years
* Childcare program that is longer than 4 hours each day

Inclusion for child outcomes / measurement

* children must attend a childcare that has volunteered to participate in the study
* Child must be older than 2 1/2 years and younger than 6 years of age

Inclusion Criteria for managers and staff childcare centers:

- Managers at licensed BC childcare facilities, working full time (at least 3 full days per week) in a facility for children aged 2½ to 6 years, defined as an Executive Director, supervisor, or program manager. Aged 19 years or older.

OR

- Childcare staff at licensed BC childcare facilities, working full time (at least 3 full days per week), defined as Early Childhood Educator, instructor, or staff that cares for 2½ to 6-year-old children. Aged 19 years or older.

Exclusion Criteria for childcare center:

* Located outside Metro Vancouver region
* Facilities caring only for children under 2 1/2 years old or older than 6 years
* Family or in-home multi-age childcare

Exclusion Criteria for managers and staff childcare centers:

* Do not care or supervise 2 ½ to 6 years old children
* Work less than 3 full days per week
* Administrative assistant/office manager
* Younger than 19 years of age

Primary outcomes:
measure: Change in practices related to active play (AP) and fundamental movement skills (FMS)
timeFrame: Two time points -baseline and 3-month post intervention
measure: Fundamental movement skills (child outcomes)
timeFrame: Two time points -baseline and 3-month post intervention
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Characteristics of childcare settings
timeFrame: Three time points -baseline and 3-month, and 6-month post intervention
measure: Characteristics of providers
timeFrame: Three time points -baseline and 3-month, and 6-month post intervention
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Vancouver
country: Canada
facility: BC Children's Hospital Research Institute
state: British Columbia
Study officials:
affiliation: University of British Columbia
name: Louise C Masse, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: