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

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”.

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

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

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 children: 19% 1 day, 41% 2 days, 23% 3 days Daycare situated in low social-economical area 14% parents lived in different areas

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.

Results (2) Day-care workers and parents have a different view on upbringing. The aims of upbringing mentioned by day-care workers don’t match 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.

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.

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.

The policy in the day-care centre What 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.

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