Assessing Transition Practices from Home to Early Childhood Education and Care
Development and Validation of the Early Childhood Transition Practices Scale
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22044579 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Theodora Margaritopoulou (0000-0002-9847-4110, International Hellenic University), Eleni Tympa (0000-0002-8682-1314, International Hellenic University), Eleni Zisopoulou (0000-0003-3984-8458, International Hellenic University), Maria Tsitiridou-Evangelou (International Hellenic University) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 16 |
| Issue | 5 |
| Pages | 770 |
| Publication date | 2026-05-13 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Education Sciences (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2227-7102 • E-ISSN: 2227-7102 |
| Publisher | MDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT) |
| DOI | 10.3390/educsci16050770 |
| OpenAlex | W7162067102 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 30 |
Transition from home to Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) settings represents a critical developmental period for children and their families, yet research lacks validated instruments that capture transition practices from both parent and educator perspectives. This study aimed to develop and validate the Early Childhood Transition Practices Scale (ECTPS), two parallel forms designed to assess parents’ and educators’ views of child- and parent-centered transition practices. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 242 parents and 333 educators in Greece. Exploratory factor analyses were conducted separately for parent and educator forms to examine construct validity. Results supported a two-factor structure for the Parent Form (parent-centered practices before and during transition; child-centered practices during transition) and a three-factor structure for the Educator Form (child-centered practices during transition; parent-centered practices before transition; parent-centered practices during transition). Descriptive findings indicated that both parents and educators reported high implementation of child-centered practices, while parent-centered practices—particularly those implemented before transition—were less frequently reported. Educators who had participated in transition-related professional development reported significantly higher implementation of both child- and parent-centered practices. These findings provide evidence for the reliability and validity of the ECTPS and underscore the importance of professional development and proactive family engagement in supporting early childhood transitions
Best practice · Construct validity · Descriptive statistics · Early childhood · Early childhood education · Exploratory factor analysis · Adolescent and Pediatric Healthcare · Early Childhood Education and Development · Family and Disability Support Research
Security of Children's Relationships With Nonparental Care Providers
(In)visible perceptions of objects (‘things’) during early transitions
Constructing the space of transition within the early childhood education and care pedagogical environment
Pedagogical practices for the infant-toddler’s first day of transition from home care to early childhood education and care
Expectations and emotions concerning infant transitions to Ecec
Transition to Preschool
Ecology of the family as a context for human development
Stress during transition from home to public childcare
Infants’ emotional and social experiences during and after the transition to early childhood education and care
Practices that support the transition to public preschool programs
An Ecological Perspective on the Transition to Kindergarten
Preschool teachers’ transition practices and parents’ perceptions as predictors of involvement and children’s school readiness
| Highly cited | No |
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