”Til-pasning? At være nyuddannet pædagog og professionsbachelor i 0-6 års institutioner”.

The purpose of this study is divided in two. The authors want to examine how newly qualified child carers keep themselves updated and create strategies in their work as a child carer. Moreover, the authors want to examine how these updates and strategies become part of development, retention and reproduction of pedagogical work. The study describes child carers’ perceptions and attitudes to the transition from being a student to being a professional.

The study shows that many students use their study programme as a stepping stone for a further career, and on the basis of international labour-market analyses, the author establishes that there are too few men in the sector. The in-depth analysis shows that one of the newly qualified child carers alternates between closeness and distance in her work. She has a clear understanding of what competences and approaches she wants to have as a child carer, and she is able to see these qualities in her colleagues. The results show that the newly qualified child carers level criticism against their study programme and the educational system. Many students find it too easy to complete the study programme, even though many of their co-students lack motivation and interest. The students believe that a small number of their previous fellow students are not capable of working as child carers. In addition, participants believe that they have not received the feedback necessary from their teachers and supervisors during their study programme. Moreover, they find it necessary to stress the difference between qualified child carers and unqualified childcare assistants. Participants feel that the work as a child carer has been downgraded, and substantiate this with the fact that they experience that many people only perceive them as “babysitters”.

A total of 12 newly qualified child carers from daycare centres and after-school centres took part in the project. Four of the child carers were employed at daycare centres. The child carers were interviewed separately or in focus groups about their perception of their current workplace and about the transition from student life to working life. The authors conducted an in-depth analysis, in which one child carer’s transition was analysed very closely through interviews and observations.

Bøje, J.D. & Nielsen, S.B. (2011). ”Til-pasning? At være nyuddannet pædagog og professionsbachelor i 0-6 års institutioner”. Roskilde: Roskilde Universitet: Center for Velfærd, Profession og Hverdagsliv.