A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial to Increase the Sustainment of an Indoor–Outdoor-Free-Play Program in Early Childhood Education and Care Services: A Study Protocol for the Sustaining Play, Sustaining Health (SPSH) Trial

Noor Imad (), Nicole Pearson, Alix Hall, Adam Shoesmith, Nicole Nathan, Luke Giles, Alice Grady and Serene Yoong
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Noor Imad: School of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing and Allied Health, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC 3122, Australia
Nicole Pearson: Hunter New England Population Health, Wallsend, NSW 2287, Australia
Alix Hall: School of Medicine and Public Health, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
Adam Shoesmith: School of Medicine and Public Health, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
Nicole Nathan: Hunter New England Population Health, Wallsend, NSW 2287, Australia
Luke Giles: Hunter New England Population Health, Wallsend, NSW 2287, Australia
Alice Grady: Hunter New England Population Health, Wallsend, NSW 2287, Australia
Serene Yoong: Faculty of Health, School of Health and Social Development, Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition, Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 6, 1-26

Abstract: Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) settings are important environments to support children’s physical activity (PA). In 2021, COVID-19 regulations recommended the provision of indoor–outdoor free-play programs in ECEC settings to reduce the transmission of COVID-19, resulting in an increased uptake of this practice. As the context has since changed, research suggests that ECEC services could cease the implementation of these practices. Therefore, this pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT) aims to examine the feasibility, acceptability, and impact of a sustainment strategy to ensure the ongoing implementation (sustainment) of ECEC-delivered indoor–outdoor free-play programs. Twenty ECEC services located in New South Wales, Australia that have implemented indoor–outdoor free-play programs since the release of COVID-19 guidelines will be recruited. The services will be randomly allocated either the sustainment strategy or usual care. The “Sustaining Play, Sustaining Health” program consists of eight strategies, developed to address key barriers against and facilitators of sustainment informed by the Integrated Sustainability Framework. The outcomes will be assessed via internal project records, staff surveys, and a self-reported measure of free play. This study will provide important data to support the performance of a fully powered trial within Australian ECEC settings and to inform the development of future sustainment strategies.

Keywords: Early Childhood Education and Care; outdoor free play; physical activity; indoor–outdoor free play; pilot randomised controlled trial; policies; practices (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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