Pædagogik, pædagogmedhjælpere og pædagoger – arbejdsdelinger og opdragelsespraksis i daginstitutionen.

This study examines the relationship between nursery and childcare assistants’ and child and youth educators’, their working relationships, positions and positioning. The study aims to elucidate the following questions:  What characterises the nursery and childcare assistants’ work at the daycare centre and their pedagogical practices? What relationships with trained staff include nursery and childcare assistants? The study consists of two parts: 1. A survey of the social backgrounds at national level of child and youth educators and nursery and childcare assistants. 2. A case study of the distribution of responsibilities at three daycare centres located in areas with large socioeconomic differences.

The backgrounds of the child carers and nursery and childcare assistants are generally similar. There is no hierachical connection with regard to the distribution of responsibilities between child carer and nursery and childcare assistant.  A distinction between three positions at the daycare centre; namely a centrally-positioned ‘manager', an 'assistant' and a 'spectator', shows that the nursery and childcare assistant fulfills the role as ‘manager’ or ‘assistant’ just as often the child carer.

The study is designed as an ethnographic, document-based cross-sectional study of perceptions. The data in this study are register data about Denmark’s child carers and nursery and childcare assistants as well as qualitative data (individual and group interviews, protocols, work plans and organisation charts) about four nursery and childcare assistants from three daycare centres located in areas with large socioeconomic differences.

Olsen, B. (2007). Pædagogik, pædagogmedhjælpere og pædagoger – arbejdsdelinger og opdragelsespraksis i daginstitutionen. Viborg: PUC.