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A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial to Increase the Sustainment of an Indoor-Outdoor-Free-Play Program in Early Childhood Education and Care Services: A Study Protocol for the Sustaining Play, Sustaining Health (SPSH) Trial
journal contribution
posted on 2023-04-14, 03:59 authored by N Imad, N Pearson, A Hall, A Shoesmith, N Nathan, L Giles, A Grady, Serene YoongSerene YoongEarly Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) settings are important environments to support children's physical activity (PA). In 2021, COVID-19 regulations recommended the provision of indoor-outdoor free-play programs in ECEC settings to reduce the transmission of COVID-19, resulting in an increased uptake of this practice. As the context has since changed, research suggests that ECEC services could cease the implementation of these practices. Therefore, this pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT) aims to examine the feasibility, acceptability, and impact of a sustainment strategy to ensure the ongoing implementation (sustainment) of ECEC-delivered indoor-outdoor free-play programs. Twenty ECEC services located in New South Wales, Australia that have implemented indoor-outdoor free-play programs since the release of COVID-19 guidelines will be recruited. The services will be randomly allocated either the sustainment strategy or usual care. The "Sustaining Play, Sustaining Health" program consists of eight strategies, developed to address key barriers against and facilitators of sustainment informed by the Integrated Sustainability Framework. The outcomes will be assessed via internal project records, staff surveys, and a self-reported measure of free play. This study will provide important data to support the performance of a fully powered trial within Australian ECEC settings and to inform the development of future sustainment strategies.
History
Journal
International journal of environmental research and public healthVolume
20Article number
5043Pagination
5043-5043Location
SwitzerlandPublisher DOI
ISSN
1661-7827eISSN
1660-4601Language
enIssue
6Publisher
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No categories selectedKeywords
Early Childhood Education and Careindoor–outdoor free playoutdoor free playphysical activitypilot randomised controlled trialpoliciespracticesChildHumansChild, PreschoolAustraliaPilot ProjectsCOVID-19New South WalesHealth PromotionRandomized Controlled Trials as Topicearly childhood education and careindoor-outdoor free playPreventionHealth ServicesBehavioral and Social SciencePediatricClinical Research4 Quality Education
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