Competency in Child Care Settings

A rating scale is developed for preschool classrooms to assess the physical environment’s role in children’s development of cognitive and social competency. The scale is tested in 98 classrooms, and children are assessed on two measures of competency in a subsample of these classrooms. Findings indicate that the physical environment is related to measures of competency, one of which is a self-perception measure. Younger children’s competency, those in the 3-year-olds’ classrooms as opposed to the 4-year-olds’ classrooms, is most affected by the physical environment. Assessment of quality child care must include thorough assessment of the physical environment.