Use of evidence-based practices in out of home childcare settings can promote healthy development in young children. The goal of our study was to test the use of the BEQI: Together in Practice system in changing behaviors of childcare educators to adopt more evidence-based practices.

Drawing on principles of mixed methods design, this study reports on a new approach to ECCE quality measurement: the Brief Early Childhood Quality Inventory. Using data from the USA, Liberia, and Colombia, results indicate variation in the items perceived as highly relevant to each setting and in the characteristics of classrooms including the degree of child autonomy, the types of activities, and in child/educator interactions and dialogue.

Family child care is extremely important to many families with young children. Often run by independent small business owners, family child care providers balance caring for children with all of the functions of running a small business. To help support these critical early childhood professionals, ECD Measure has partnered with the Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative (NECC) to use the Brief Early Quality Inventory (BEQI) observation tool and BEQI self-assessment as part of NECC’s new Family Child Care Network initiative to providers in Nebraska.