Conclusion
This article has examined: a. the increased need for child care; b. some special problems posed when this need is met within the hospital setting; and c. techniques and strategies for designing effectively functioning day care environments. Transforming the hospital environment into a child-centered day care program involves numerous and often difficult tasks. The benefits, however, of meeting employee and community needs and of aiding optimal development in young children unquestionably override the obstacles involved. We enthusiastically anticipate growth in this area of day care.
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References for Further Reading
Dimidjian, V. Evaluating and improving campus-based child care: A case study. In press, 1982.
Dimidjian, V. Questions and answers about improving environments for young children. In press, 1982.
Fein, G. and Clarke-Stewart, A.Day care in context. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1972.
Kritchevsky, S. and Prescott, E.Planning environments for young children. Washington, D.C.: NAEYC, 1977.
Olds, A. Why is environmental design important to young children?Children in Contemporary Society, V. 11, N. 1, Nov. 1977.
Perry, K. S.Employers and child care: Establishing services through the workplace. Washington, D.C.: United States Department of Labor, Pamphlet 22, 1981a.
Perry, K. S.Survey and analysis of employer sponsored day care in the United States. Paper presented at the Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center's Enhancing Recruitment and Retention Conference, Chicago, Illinois, December 1981b.
Phyfe-Perkins, E. Children's behavior in preschool settings: A review of research concerning the influence of the physical environment. InCurrent Topics in Early Childhood Education, V. 3, L. Katz (ed). Norwood, N.J.: Ablex Publishing Corp., 1980.
Steinfels, M.Who's minding the children? The history and politics of day care in America. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1972.
Additional information
Victoria Jean Dimidjian is Assistant Professor and Director of Early Childhood Education at Carlow College in Pittsburgh, PA. Mary Ann Hvidos, who was the consultant to the project and the designer of the center, is now Director of the Child Development Center at the Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA. Special thanks to Micaela Young and Edward F. Verner at Mercy Hospital for their technical assistance.
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Dimidjian, V.J., Hvizdos, M.A. Designing and assessing day care environments in hospital settings. Early Childhood Educ J 10, 10–13 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01616793
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01616793