IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/cysrev/v188y2026ics0190740926004056.html

Meeting caregivers where they are: generational engagement and home visitor responsiveness during home visits in rural China

Author

Listed:
  • Qiao, Peijing
  • Lan, Xi
  • Li, Tianyu
  • Lu, Mai
  • Du, Zhixin
  • Qie, Yi
  • Chen, Si

Abstract

This study examined intergenerational caregiver engagement in a home visiting program for families with children aged 0–3 in low-resource areas of China. Through observations of 26 home visits and interviews with 26 caregivers (13 parents and 13 grandparents) and 20 home visitors, we investigated how parents and grandparents understood the aims, processes, and roles embedded in the home visit. Quantitative video analysis using the Home Visit Observation Form showed significant generational differences in interaction content, home visitors’ role, and caregiver participation styles. Qualitative interviews illuminated these patterns through caregivers’ engagement perceptions and home visitors’ adaptive strategies across generations. Together, the findings suggest that subtle differences in how guidance is understood and taken up may arise when a single early childhood service is offered to caregivers whose experiences and responsibilities differ. This study also highlights the value of designing early childhood services that could align with the generational diversity that shapes children’s daily environments.

Suggested Citation

  • Qiao, Peijing & Lan, Xi & Li, Tianyu & Lu, Mai & Du, Zhixin & Qie, Yi & Chen, Si, 2026. "Meeting caregivers where they are: generational engagement and home visitor responsiveness during home visits in rural China," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:188:y:2026:i:c:s0190740926004056
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2026.109152
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190740926004056
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.childyouth.2026.109152?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:188:y:2026:i:c:s0190740926004056. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/childyouth .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.