Effects of home environment and center-based child care quality on children’s

This study examined the joint effects of home environment and center-based child care quality on children’s language, communication, and early literacy development, while also considering prior developmental level. Participants were 95 children (46 boys), assessed as toddlers (mean age = 26.33 months;Time 1) and preschoolers (mean age = 68.71 months; Time 2) and their families. At both times, children attended center-based child care classrooms in the metropolitan area of Porto, Portugal. Results from hierarchical linear models indicated that home environment and preschool quality, but not center-based toddler child care quality, were associated with children’s language and literacy outcomes at Time 2. Moreover, the quality of preschool classrooms moderated the association between home environment quality and children’s language and early literacy skills – but not communication skills – at Time 2, suggesting the positive cumulative effects of home environment and preschool quality. Findings further support the existence of a detrimental effect of low preschool quality on children’s language and early literacy outcomes: positive associations among home environment quality and children’s developmental outcomes were found to reduce substantially when children attended low-quality preschool classrooms.

Expatriates recruitment and selection for long-term international assignments in portuguese companies

Long-term international assignments’ increase requires more attention being paid for the preparation of these foreign assignments, especially on the recruitment and selection process of expatriates. This article explores how the recruitment and selection process of expatriates is developed in Portuguese companies, examining the main criteria on recruitment and selection of expatriates’ decision to send international assignments. The paper is based on qualitative case studies of companies located in Portugal. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews of 42 expatriates and 18 organisational representatives as well from nine Portuguese companies. The findings show that the most important criteria are: (1) trust from managers, (2) years in service, (3) previous technical and language competences, (4) organisational knowledge and, (5) availability. Based on the findings, the article discusses in detail the main theoretical and managerial implications. Suggestions for further research are also presented.

RESTAVEC – from haitian slave child to middle-class american

Trabalho de Projeto apresentado ao Instituto de Contabilidade e Administração do Porto para a obtenção do grau de Mestre em Tradução e Interpretação Especializadas, sob orientação da Doutora Clara Sarmento

Influence of structural features on Portuguese toddler child care quality

Whereas child care quality has been extensively studied in the U.S., there is much less information about the quality of child care in other countries.With one of the highest maternal employment rates in Europe, it is important to examine child care in Portugal. Thirty toddler classrooms in child care centers were observed. The purpose of this studywas to determine whether structural features account for overall toddler child care quality. Results showed younger and better-paid teachers provided better toddler child care quality. Space available per childwas not a statistically significant predictor of toddler child care quality.Overall quality results suggest some issues to be addressed by early education policy makers and indicate the need to promote quality in Portuguese toddler child care programs.

Contributions for best practices in social recruitment: pilot study in the Northern Region of Portugal

Recruitment is based on a conglomerate of techniques and procedures put in place to attract qualified. The recruitment process has suffered changes, becoming even more sophisticated, involving a whole organisation and a whole community. A new source of recruitment has emerged with the use of online social networks using facilitators in its development and usage, allowing the search for candidates to be fast, cheap and "global". In Portugal, the information available and studies conducted into this phenomenon are still irrelevant, with little reported on the importance of online social recruitment. The purpose of this article is to contribute to what is understood by the professional process of recruitment through online social media by recruitment companies in the Northern Region of Portugal, analysing the use of online media by recruitment professionals, facilitator support tools and the associated best practices.

Análise biomecânica da marcha e funcionalidade em crianças com Paralisia Cerebral: efeito da intervenção da fisioterapia com facilitação em tapete rolante

Introdução: As crianças com Paralisia Cerebral evidenciam frequentemente alterações da sua funcionalidade global, evidenciadas nomeadamente na marcha. Diferentes protocolos de facilitação da marcha em tapete rolante têm vindo a ser alvo de estudos no sentido de clarificar a sua eficácia nesta população. Estes sugerem uma evolução positiva dos diferentes aspectos estudados (funcionalidade global, resistência cardiorespiratória, componentes da marcha), contudo utilizam diferentes metodologias e especificidades do protocolo, não existindo consenso acerca das melhores condições de utilização. Objectivo(s): O presente trabalho teve como objectivo principal avaliar o efeito da aplicação de um protocolo de marcha em tapete rolante (PMTR) em crianças com Paralisia Cerebral (PC) espástica, nos parâmetros biomecânicos da mesma e funcionalidade global. Métodos: Participaram no estudo 9 crianças com PC do tipo diplégico e hemiplégico inscritos na Associação de Paralisia Cerebral de Braga (APCB), com idades compreendidas entre os 3 e os 8 anos de idade. Cada criança foi avaliada antes e após a aplicação do PMTR, através da análise biomecânica da marcha (dinamometria e electromiografia de superfície), bem como da aplicação do teste de medida da função motora (TMFM). A amostra foi dividida em dois grupos – grupo sujeito ao protocolo de marcha em tapete rolante (GPMTR) (n=5) e grupo controlo (GC) (n=4). O protocolo em tapete rolante foi incluído nas sessões de intervenção de fisioterapia, com uma frequência semanal de 2 a 3 vezes por semana, durante um período de 10 semanas consecutivas, após o qual foram repetidas as avaliações iniciais. Resultados: A análise dos resultados permitiu verificar evoluções no GPMTR ao nível do score total da TMFM e especialmente na dimensão E, o que revelou melhorias significativas da funcionalidade motora global neste grupo. Verificaram-se ainda, em termos eletromiográficos um melhor padrão de recrutamento muscular, bem como, no que se refere à análise dinamométrica, evoluções positivas, na componente vertical das forças de reacção do solo.Conclusão: O presente estudo parece sugerir que a inclusão da facilitação da marcha em tapete rolante no plano de intervenção pode contribuir para uma melhoria nos parâmetros biomecânicos da marcha e funcionalidade global de crianças com Paralisia Cerebral do tipo diplégico e hemiplégico, com idades compreendidas entre os 3 e os 8 anos.