How do parents and day-care workers cooperate in the upbringing of children in day-care centres? A case study

1. How do parents and day-care workers cooperate in the upbringing of children in day-care centres? A case study Ellen Allewijn-Tzipris The Netherlands

2. Use of day-care centres in the Netherlands • 3 months to 48 months • 2 or 3 days a week • Part-time working mothers • Main purpose of day-care, according to parents, is not upbringing, but rather “baby-sitting”.

3. Characteristics of the case study • Research question… • Dual-earner parents • Parents who use 3 or more days a week day-care for their children • 1 Day-care centre in the Netherlands • In PhD-research 4 case study’s • Not representation, but description of the situation with the aim to change something in the day-care

4. Methodology • Combination of phenomenological approach and action research • Research consists of 2 parts • Selections of respondents • In-depth interviews • Participant observations • Focus group (group discussions) • List of recommendations • Small questionnaire to all parents

5. Characteristics day-care • 5 groups: 2 groups (age 3 months- ±20 months) 3 groups (age ± 20 months-48 months) • 18 daycare workers: 90% of them work 2 of 3 days in the daycare • In may 2007 115 children: 19% 1 day, 41% 2 days, 23% 3 days • Daycare situated in low social-economical area • 14% parents lived in different areas

6. Results (1) • Cooperation depends on 3 aspects: 1. The contain related to the upbringing 2. Type of communication (behavior, voice) 3. Different kind of contact moments • Cooperation between parents and day-care workers occur when there is a problem or the child is in a new development phase, or the parents and workers have questions related to the upbringing. • Kind of information from day-care workers should differ from group to group. • Parents didn’t have much expectations.

7. Results (2) • Day-care workers and parents have a different view on upbringing. • The aims of upbringing mentioned by day-care workers don’tmatch the pedagogical policy. • Parents and day-care workers share common views on the responsibility of the day care worker concerning the upbringing in the day-care. • The parents didn’t realize that day-care workers pay so much attention to developmental and pedagogical goals.

8. Recommendations (1) • Parents and day-care workers gave the following recommendations: 1. Day-care workers should construct pedagogical policy; 2. When children switch to the older group there should be an “intake-conversation” for the parents, providing them with accurate information; 3. Parent participation could be increased by organizing evenings with topics directly concerning day-care centre. 4. In the “intake-conversation” day-care workers should tell more on the implicit pedagogical aims and goals of the day-care.

9. Recommendations (2) 5. To provide every parent a free copy of the pedagogical policy of the day-care. 6. The initiative of the contain during the 10-minute conversation should be with the day-care worker, unless the parent has something to ask. 7. Parents didn’t like the opening phrase of the day-care workers when they were picking up their children: “Everything went well today…”. Start a conversation in an other way.

10. The policy in the day-care centreWhat has changed? • In September all day-care workers will construct together the pedagogical policy. • In every day-care workers’ meeting from September pedagogical topics will be included. • Since June extra “intake-conversations” for parents whose children go to the older group took place. • Twice a year an evening for parents will be organized with a theme directly related to the day-care. Video- material will be used. • The “intake-conversation” for new parents will be renewed. • Free copy of pedagogical policy for the parents will be provided.

11. Thank youIf you have further questions, mail to e.allewijn@fontys.nl