Unraveling forces at play Investigating the influence of Dutch early childhood education and care on children’s social-emotional development

This dissertation investigated factors influencing children's well-being and social-emotional development in Dutch Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) and early elementary school, using a bioecological framework. Key findings highlight the importance of process quality, particularly dyadic caregiver-child relationships, in fostering social-emotional outcomes. A meta-analysis revealed higher ECEC quality positively impacts social-emotional development, with stronger effects in home-based care. A baseline study showed that home-based child care had slightly higher process quality, more strongly linked to children’s social-emotional functioning, with caregiver-child relationships being stronger predictors than other quality measures. Wave 2 of the longitudinal study confirmed that dyadic relationships predict well-being and reduce internalizing problems. In elementary school (wave 3), temperament (surgency) and center-based care attendance promoted social competence and eased transitions, while caregiver-child conflict negatively impacted outcomes. Transition difficulties mediated the effects of temperament and ECEC quality on school adjustment. These findings emphasize the importance of dyadic relationships in ECEC, especially in home-based care, and suggest that stable caregiver-child interactions enhance social-emotional outcomes. Center-based care better prepares children for school social environments but may initially disadvantage them due to less continuity in caregiving. Recommendations include prioritizing dyadic relationship quality in ECEC research, adapting attachment-based interventions to improve caregiver-child relationships, and facilitating smoother transitions to elementary school through collaboration among parents, caregivers, and teachers. Child care policy and practice should prioritize stable and sensitive caregiver-child relationships, emphasizing their profound impact on children's social-emotional development.