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Summary of Key Findings
Perceptions of the Spring 2006 TOT Event
One year after the TOT event, the participating programs gave the training a positive overall rating. However, some programs rated the training lower on how well it had prepared them to implement IM/IL in their own programs. Thirty-seven percent of programs reported that too little time was spent on engaging adults in IM/IL. However, 40 percent of directors wanted more time to plan their own implementation during the TOT event. One-third of programs reported leaving the training event without a written action plan for implementing IM/IL.
Initial Implementation Efforts
Nearly every program tried to implement IM/IL in the year following the training event. Over 60 percent of programs provided pre-service and in-service training on IM/IL. The total number of training hours in each program was a median of 6 hours per program (range 1 to 24 hours).
IM/IL Enhancements Selected
Programs implemented more enhancements related to MVPA and structured movement than enhancements related to nutrition. Towards this end, the most common activities involved purchasing equipment, using IM/IL vocabulary, and purchasing instructional materials for promoting physical activity. For nutrition, the most common activity carried out by programs involved modifying the foods served to children in Head Start.
Reaching Parents, Staff, and Community Partners
As part of IM/IL, two-thirds of programs offered activities to alter the eating and physical activity behaviors of parents, and half did so with their staff. Half the programs reported having identified at least one community organization as a partner. Forty-four percent of programs were doing all three of these things.
Factors Contributing to the Success of Implementation
Almost half of the programs perceived that they were successful in implementing IM/IL. The enthusiasm of staff and the quality of the TOT event were the two most commonly reported factors contributing to the success of implementation. High implementing programs were more likely to leave the TOT with a written plan for their IM/IL implementation than those that were not high implementers. High implementing programs provided nearly twice as many hours of training to staff relative to other programs.
Challenges in Implementation
Lack of time for management staff and the other competing program priorities were the two most commonly reported challenges in implementing IM/IL.
Sustainability
Following the spring 2006 TOT event, nearly every program tried to implement IM/IL. However, it is not clear that the current program-level implementation efforts can be sustained. One year after the training event, only half of the programs reported having a written plan for IM/IL implementation. Many programs have enthusiastic staff and a capable leader directing the IM/IL efforts, but many also reported that management did not have enough time to devote to IM/IL.
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