A Good Start Matters Intervention Study

NCT ID: NCT05669378

Last Updated: 2025-04-16

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 52 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2023-10-25
• Study Completion Date: 2025-09-30

Brief Summary

The BC government and partners developed Active Play Standards and a capacity-building strategy to help childcare centers implement the Standards. We have developed an intervention to supplement the governmental capacity-building strategies. The intervention is comprised of implementation support strategies targeted at childcare providers in BC that will aid with the sustainment of Active Play best practices at their facilities. The impact of the intervention will be assessed by measuring its impact on a) change in practices with respect to Active Play; and b) improving child-level outcomes (children's physical activity, sedentary behavior, and motor skill competencies). The findings will inform future policies and enhance our understanding of how policy action supported by communication, capacity-building, and sustainment strategies influence the environment of childcare centres.

Detailed Description

The Director of Licensing Standard of Practice - Active Play (Active Play Standard), mandates the provision of Active Play opportunities (amount of time spent outdoor, amount of physical activity, provision of fundamental skills) in licensed childcare centers in British Columbia, Canada. To support the implementation of this standard, the province released a capacity-building intervention, called Appetite to Play (ATP). Appetite to Play provides training and support to childcare providers in enhancing physical activity, physical literacy, and healthy eating environments in their facilities. To encourage the sustained use of ATP and aid childcare facilities in maintaining their adherence to the Active Play Standard, we have developed an intervention called, Appetite to Play +, targeted at facility managers and staff. The intervention builds upon ATP and is considered advanced training for childhood educators. The intervention involves the implementation of support strategies focused on integrating Active Play and fundamental movement skills into scheduling, curriculum planning, and creating a supportive environment for Active Play and healthy eating in childcare facilities.

Conditions

Physical Inactivity; Motor Activity

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Primary Study Purpose: PREVENTION
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Intervention group

The experimental group will receive the Appetite to Play + intervention which is a capacity-building intervention that support childcare providers in implementing the best practices for active play. It includes a 3 e-learning online modules and then the are supported with weekly . bi-weekly emails.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Appetite to Play +

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

In 2017 the province of BC enacted a provincial standard for physical activity, formally titled the Director of Licensing Standard of Practice - Active Play (Active Play Standards) that licensed childcare centers are required to adhere to. Along with this, a provincial capacity-building intervention (Appetite to Play) was released to provide training and education to early years providers working in the province and support the implementation of the Active Play Standards. The intervention, Appetite to Play +, will provide advanced training to early year educators on the Appetite to Play activities and resources. The intervention will include workshops and training on physical literacy, fundamental movement skills, and creating a supportive environment to sustain Active Play practices. As part of the intervention, managers will also be provided with resources to aid them with the integration of Active Play into their curriculums and schedules.

Standard of care waitlist control

The standard of care waitlist control group will receive the intervention at 3-months post-randomization. The standard of care group has access to the Appetite to Play materials which are available to everyone. The site includes resources that childcare providers can use.

Group Type: OTHER

Appetite to Play +

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

In 2017 the province of BC enacted a provincial standard for physical activity, formally titled the Director of Licensing Standard of Practice - Active Play (Active Play Standards) that licensed childcare centers are required to adhere to. Along with this, a provincial capacity-building intervention (Appetite to Play) was released to provide training and education to early years providers working in the province and support the implementation of the Active Play Standards. The intervention, Appetite to Play +, will provide advanced training to early year educators on the Appetite to Play activities and resources. The intervention will include workshops and training on physical literacy, fundamental movement skills, and creating a supportive environment to sustain Active Play practices. As part of the intervention, managers will also be provided with resources to aid them with the integration of Active Play into their curriculums and schedules.

Interventions

Appetite to Play +

In 2017 the province of BC enacted a provincial standard for physical activity, formally titled the Director of Licensing Standard of Practice - Active Play (Active Play Standards) that licensed childcare centers are required to adhere to. Along with this, a provincial capacity-building intervention (Appetite to Play) was released to provide training and education to early years providers working in the province and support the implementation of the Active Play Standards. The intervention, Appetite to Play +, will provide advanced training to early year educators on the Appetite to Play activities and resources. The intervention will include workshops and training on physical literacy, fundamental movement skills, and creating a supportive environment to sustain Active Play practices. As part of the intervention, managers will also be provided with resources to aid them with the integration of Active Play into their curriculums and schedules.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Located in the Metro Vancouver region
• Provides care to at least 10 children older than 2 1/2 years and younger than 6 years
• Childcare program that is longer than 4 hours each day

Inclusion for child outcomes / measurement

• children must attend a childcare that has volunteered to participate in the study
• Child must be older than 2 1/2 years and younger than 6 years of age

• Managers at licensed BC childcare facilities, working full time (at least 3 full days per week) in a facility for children aged 2½ to 6 years, defined as an Executive Director, supervisor, or program manager. Aged 19 years or older.

OR

• Childcare staff at licensed BC childcare facilities, working full time (at least 3 full days per week), defined as Early Childhood Educator, instructor, or staff that cares for 2½ to 6-year-old children. Aged 19 years or older.

Exclusion Criteria

• Located outside Metro Vancouver region
• Facilities caring only for children under 2 1/2 years old or older than 6 years
• Family or in-home multi-age childcare

• Do not care or supervise 2 ½ to 6 years old children
• Work less than 3 full days per week
• Administrative assistant/office manager
• Younger than 19 years of age

• Minimum Eligible Age: 30 Months
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)

OTHER_GOV

Sponsor Role: collaborator

University of British Columbia

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Louise Masse

Professor and Investigator

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Louise C Masse, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of British Columbia

Locations

BC Children's Hospital Research Institute

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Site Status: RECRUITING

Countries

Canada

Central Contacts

Louise C Masse, PhD

Role: CONTACT

lmasse@bcchr.ubc.ca

604-875-2000 ext. 5563

Patti-Jean Naylor, PhD

Role: CONTACT

pjnaylor@uvic.ca

250-721-7844

Facility Contacts

Olivia De-Jongh González, PhD

Role: primary

Olivia.DjGonzalez@bcchr.ca

604-875-2000 ext. 6393

References

Masse LC, Wright C, Buckler EJ, De-Jongh Gonzalez O, Wolfenden L, Faulkner G, Carson V, Temple V, Brussoni M, Fakih S, Sauve K, Edache I, Naylor PJ. Facility-level implementation strategies in early childhood education and care to enhance adherence to a provincial physical activity standard: Protocol for the Good Start Matters ATP+ randomised controlled trial. PLoS One. 2025 Aug 12;20(8):e0329276. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0329276. eCollection 2025.

Reference Type: DERIVED

PMID: 40794716 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

H18-01434

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id