Caregivers’ views on childcare staff’s role in promoting children’s oral health
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Background
The primary reason children in the UK are referred to hospitals for a general anaesthetic is to have decayed teeth removed. Tooth decay is a non-communicable disease which is preventable through healthy behaviours such as brushing at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, reducing the frequency of sugar consumption throughout the day and regular dental check-ups. Recently, oral health became a mandatory component of the England Early Years Settings’ (EYS) framework. Successful implementation of this public health strategy necessitates involvement from parents and carers, however their views currently remain unexplored. Therefore, we aim to investigate parents’ views about the role of EYS and childcare providers in promoting and discussing children’s oral health behaviours.
Method
Semi-structured interviews were conducted in English and Arabic with 14 parents (11 mothers, 3 fathers) of at least one child under five years who was enrolled in any EYS (nurseries, preschools, Sure Start centres) in England. Participants were recruited through EYS settings and using online social media. Data were analysed using an inductive and latent reflexive thematic analysis.
Results
The analysis was organized into three overarching themes: 1)Opportunities for parent-staff communication in early years settings are lacking. 2)Early years settings not currently considered a place for oral health. 3) Looking forward; early years settings as a partner to support children’s oral health.
Conclusion
Parents have limited awareness of what oral health activities occur in EYS. They acknowledge that EYS staff can influence children’s oral health behaviours, yet also report communication barriers with EYS staff. Early years communication is primarily uni-directional, which shapes parents’ views about EYS staff’s responsibility and credibility to support their children’s oral health. To overcome these barriers, staff need training and support to effectively engage parents.
