Examined attitudes of 76 Singaporean preschool teachers and supervisors regarding integrating young children with disabilities into mainstream preschool centers. Findings indicated that the majority of teachers were willing to consider integrating but voiced concerns about their abilities to cope on a daily basis without relevant information about…

Because in the normal course of events most children become briefly ill, families are forced to deal with problems of arranging alternative child care. This article develops a model of the factors influencing family day care workers' acceptance of acutely ill children into care. The article begins with a summary of the research on which the model…

Examines role of Early Years Development and Childcare Partnerships in England, consisting of providers and local authority representatives, in providing accessible, affordable childcare and in developing appropriate professional skills across a wide range of providers. Considers educational policy behind the partnerships. Notes concern that…

Surveyed Australian child-care workers on job satisfaction. Found that although 80% indicated satisfaction with their job, 40% said they frequently thought of quitting. Found a past and projected turnover rate of about 30%; although workers' qualifications and skills base have increased significantly in the past decade, the accreditation process…

Used the Maslach Burnout Inventory and Early Childhood Work Environment Survey to identify workplace predictors of burnout in 137 female child-care providers in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Found that age, decision making, and goal consensus were the only significant predictors of burnout, suggesting the need to balance the freedom of persons to make…

Examined opinions of diverse parents, teachers, and academics regarding Japanese society, its infant/toddler care system, labor force, and family. Found evidence of a difficult transition in the culture of child rearing, including increased caregiver responsibility for child rearing and increased anxiety about parenting among young mothers.…

This study by the Scottish Executive examined attainment of Higher National Certificates (HNCs) and Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs) (types of educational qualifications) by child care providers in Scotland, noting the perceptions of key participants. The study had five key objectives: (1) to determine levels of uptake and, if possible,…

Reflects upon experiences with the First Nations' Partnerships and the European Commission Child Care Network to argue that efforts to understand quality care have been insufficiently sensitive to socioecological and cultural factors related to defining and assessing quality. Argues for a reconceptualization of early childhood care, and presents…

This study examined the needs of beginning early childhood teachers in their first year of work in primary schools, kindergartens, or child care centers in Australia. The study surveyed teachers in 1988, 1989, and 1990; this paper discusses the results from the 1990 survey. Subjects were 31 teachers who responded to a questionnaire that concerned…

This thesis presents a picture of how staff interact with infants (age group 1-3 years old) and parents at three day care centers. The study focused on the situations of leaving and collecting the children and the children's time of free play both in and outdoors. The theoretical content has an attachment/psycho-dynamical perspective with emphasis…

Explored philosophical bases of care and education among 41 British early childhood professionals. Found that child care staff's guiding principles tended to be specifically child-centered, while early childhood teachers and managers generated a broader range of principles incorporating aspects of curriculum and partnership. Found that…

The Early Years Project investigated early childhood education programs for kindergarten-age children in the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, and Alberta. This study combined quantitative and qualitative data to: (1) document changes in kindergarten and child care and their impact since 1990; (2) investigate how kindergarten…

Interviews with Canadian day care workers and minority parents showed that the two groups disagreed about why parents are not involved enough; were unaware of their basic differences in ECE goals; and disagreed substantially over what constitutes proper child-rearing methods. Discriminatory incidents were not uncommon at centers, although teachers…

A study examined experiences of infants and toddlers in New Zealand child care centers to determine if those experiences provided opportunities for learning in the context of shared attention. Results provided evidence of staff sensitivity and responsiveness, close child/caregiver relationships, the importance of language and shared meaning, and…

This study examined the experiences of students in the six New Zealand colleges of education who undertook a 3-year course of training to work in early childhood centers. The study aimed to find out students' expected employment following their training among child care, kindergarten, or other early childhood services, monitor any changes in the…