Understanding of Children’s Mental Health in Early Childhood Education: A Study of Daycare Centers in Bangladesh

Abstract

Children's mental health is still an important but often disregarded component of early childhood care and development (ECCD), particularly in environments with limited resources like Bangladesh. This study explored caregivers' knowledge, attitudes, and actions regarding children's mental health in daycare centers, with a focus on how they identify and meet their charges' emotional and behavioral needs. A mixed-approaches convergent parallel design was employed. While standardized surveys were utilized to gather quantitative data from 25 caregivers and five ECCD teachers, ten key informant interviews and observations from five childcare centers yielded qualitative insights. The two data strands were analyzed separately before being joined in order to produce contextually grounded insights. To generate contextually grounded interpretations, the two data strands were first examined independently before being combined. The findings showed a significant lack of awareness: 72% of caregivers were unable to identify mental health and commonly confused it with discipline or physical health. Teachers were aware of warning indicators like arrogance or withdrawal, but they lacked the institutional tools and expertise to react appropriately. Practice was further hindered by ongoing stigma, a lack of organized socio-emotional learning, and a lack of training opportunities. Positive informal methods, such as play-based learning, storytelling, and compassionate interactions between caregivers and children, were noted. The results highlight the critical need to incorporate socio-emotional learning frameworks, caregiver training, and mental health awareness into ECCD programs in order to ensure a more comprehensive approach to early childhood care in Bangladesh.