Purpose
The objective of this study is to examine: 1) which general structures influence how child carers can position themselves as professionals and how they can define the professional content of their work, 2) to what degree general structures influence the way in which child carers perceive themselves professionally, as well as how parents and childcare assistants in kindergartens perceive and acknowledge the work and professionalism of child carers . The study is based on a PhD dissertation with the same title.
Result
Using the data, four ideal types have been identified on the basis of the different values held by the child carers: the practitioner, the collectivist, the project initiator and the skills-oriented. In general, the study concludes that many child carers find that they have a professional identity, however this identity is not very strong nor is it profound. Neither parents nor childcare assistants hold the child-carer profession in particularly high esteem. The child carers upgrade themselves professionally through courses, however they are not able to attend these very often due to lack of time and lack of financial resources. In daycare centres, ensuring the level of professionalism is seen to be the responsibility of the leader, however, this rarely reflects reality. Many child carers feel that they do not have a forum in which to discuss professional topics. Child carers are unsure of their relationship to the government and municipality, and again this underlines their professional insecurity.
Design
The data basis consists of a questionnaire survey with responses from 3536 informants (1777 child carers and 1773 parents) from a total of 216 daycare centres as well as qualitative interviews and observations at 7 daycare centres. The data were analysed using correspondence analysis.
References
Nørregård-Nielsen, E. (2006). Pædagoger i skyggen - om børnehavepædagogers kamp for faglig anerkendelse. Odense: Syddansk Universitetsforlag.
Financed by
The Rockwool Foundation