CENTRE-BASED CAREGIVERS' PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR ROLES AARE Conference Margaret Clyde 22-25 November, 1993 School of Early Childhood Studies University of Melbourne Kew 3101 ABSTRACT The dramatic increase in federally sponsored child care centres in the last two decades around Australia has been mirrored by an increasing number of qualified child care workers who have completed two or three year post- secondary courses. As more qualified staff become available to work in child care centres around Australia and assume more responsible positions the need for inservice and post initial training becomes more obvious. Rodd and Clyde (1992) have surveyed the Victorian child care field to determine qualified caregivers' perceptions of their role and compared the results from a similar survey in U.S.A. (Vander Ven, 1989). The results are interesting and indicate a need for caregivers - and those providing courses - to consider the current and future roles of caregivers. INTRODUCTION Child care outside the home is an area which has burgeoned in the last fifty years; the second world war legitimised the practice of placing young children in a group care situation outside the child's own home in the care of a non-relative. Over the ensuring years the status of this "non- relative" has received continuing review as the numbers of children in care continued to rise and the process which began as a war time expedient has become an integral part of western culture. The child care workers' status has moved from that of a lowly child minder with little or no skills in working with young children to that of a quasi-professional who needs to possess a range of skills across the human services field. Vander Ven (1991) has suggested that, in order to meet adequately the needs of children in care in the twenty-first century, the western world will require a "cadre of practitioners" who can not only work efficiently with children but who can also make a positive impression on the wider network of social systems that affect the quality of life for both the children and their families; in other words, the child care worker of the future will no longer be unskilled but rather a person who is able to demonstrate multi-faceted skills and abilities to think in increasingly complex ways, able to address problems and handle both interaction and managerial issues in a professional way. This proposal includes the notion of the systematic training of child care workers to enable them to develop relevant skills and knowledge as they progress through Katz's (1977) stages of professional development from Survival to Maturity. Vander Ven makes two further points; she suggests that this personal and professional growth can be demonstrated by aligning caregivers to a "cluster of adjectives" which best describes their notions of themselves as caregivers, and that these clusters of adjectives describe the expanded responsibilities associated with movement along the professional career path of the child care worker from assistant to centre coordinator. Although Vander Ven does not state categorically that these expanded responsibilities require the caregiver to possess more sophisticated and/or complex characteristics, this is implied. Vander Ven's stages of professional development and the "clusters of adjectives" needed to describe their level of competency are described below: Stage 1 Direct Care - Novice: Novices are engaged primarily in tasks involving direct care and interaction with children. In general, personnel at this stage are fairly new to the early childhood field, fairly young and possess basic training, if any training has occurred. Vander Ven argues that the practice of novices may reflect their own past experiences, attitudes and feelings rather than the skills and knowledge gleaned from preinduction training: "they are highly driven by feelings unmodified by cognitive constructs, for example, they are highly affective". (Vander Ven, 1991:247) Adjectives used to describe such novice behaviour include loving, nurturing, sensitive, helpful, sympathetic, feeling, kind, that is personal rather than professional characteristics. Stage 2 Direct Care - Advanced: Vander Ven's second stage includes those child care practitioners who have outgrown some of the more immature descriptions of the initial stage; they are more prepared to make use of knowledge and skills learned previously, they are able to demonstrate more logical and rational behaviour, make choices and predict and explain outcomes of their behaviours. They are rational, cognitive, logical and analytical and child and parent oriented. Clearly they have outgrown Katz's Survival and Consolidation stages and are moving into the Renewal stage. Interestingly, Vander Ven attributes to them increased personal characteristics including patience, honesty, devotion, trust, humility, courage, hope and knowledge, thereby indicating a mixture of personal and professional characteristics to be operating at this stage. Stage 3 Indirect Care: This stage represents a very different role for the early childhood worker, in that they may have abandoned working directly with children and parents and become supervisors, advocates, fundraisers and administrators who possess the characteristics of proactive planners, entrepreneurs and persons in power. Vander Ven assents that such child care workers would be comfortable working with both adults and children, and would demonstrate cognitive characteristics to reflect this dual role which may be very different from those demonstrated in the previous stages. This stage presumably would be similar to Katz's final stage of Maturity. The characteristics of each stage are described in full below: INSERT TABLE 1 HERE METHODOLOGY Vander Ven's caregivers' survey attempted to answer two questions; first, what are centre-based caregivers' perceptions of their role at various stages of their professional and personal development and what are the relationships between caregivers' perceptions of their role and the qualities they bring to that role? Supplementary questions asked by Vander Ven related to caregivers' reasons for entering child care and their perception of caregiving and whether or not there could be a "value conflict" between the more traditional notions of caregiving and those associated with the expanded entrepreneurial and managerial notions of caregiving. The survey included an open ended item on perceptions of caregiving, demographic data related to age, sex, years of child care experience of participants, multiple choice statements reflecting reasons for working in child care as well as Vander Ven's "adjective list" of caregivers' roles and responsibilities. (See Table 1). The Australian study, reported here, attempted to replicate Vander Ven's study in order to determine the similarities and differences between Australian and North American centre-based caregivers' perceptions of their roles and the personal and professional characteristics they brough to those roles. The original list was not amended although the authors recognised the potential problems inherent in descriptors such as "planful" (which several repondents changed to "playful"), "aggressive", "manipulative", "competitive" and ambitious". Multiple copies were sent to over 150 child care centres in urban, suburban and rural areas in Victoria. Eighty-seven centres responded with a total of 273 responses ranging from 1 to 6 responses per centre. Not all respondents completed all the questions. A copy of the survey may be obtained from the major author. RESULTS Most caregivers were aged between 21-25 years (37.5%) which reflects the average age for caregivers in Australia. The remaining respondents who answered the questions were aged between 26-30 years (17.6%) and under 20 years (12.7%). Unfortunately 32.2% did not respond to this question, although choice existed for caregivers to list their ages up to 60 years. In the American study, most respondents were aged between 31-45 years. TABLE 2 DEMOGRAPHIC DATA AGERANK ORDER 21-25 years37.5% 26-30 years17.6% under 20 years12.7% NR32.2% In terms of years of experience, nearly 60% of respondents had between 0-5 years of experience which reflects the age range indicated, but which is more than the Victorian average of 42% (DHHCS, 1992), 21.3% had 6-10 years experience, while a further 11.2% had between 11-15 years. The Australian respondents were much less experienced than the American respondents (only 23% 0-5 years, but 24.5% 11-15 years). TABLE 3 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE RANK ORDER 0-5 years59.6% 6-10 years21.3% 11-15 years11.2% NR6.9% The open ended definition of caregiving provided a range of responses from "to provide care" (33.7%) to planning programs and activities (1.5%). The responses were not very sophisticated when compared with Vander Ven's responses, probably reflecting the age and years of experience of the participants. TABLE 4 DEFINITION OF CAREGIVING RANK ORDER To provide care33.7% To meet children's needs15.7% To cater for development15.4% To "care"15.0% To plan programs, activities1.5% Respondents were asked to indicate, from a list of 7 descriptors, the statements which best reflected their reasons for becoming a caregiver. 82.8% selected the first description, "I liked children", followed by "I had pleasant associations and experiences with children" (77.2%). These were the major responses; next in popularity were "I wanted to improve the image of the field" (22.8%) and "I wanted to direct a centre" (22.1%). These responses are similar to those obtained by Vander Ven (80%, 72%, 34% and 30% respectively), although the last two responses were higher than those obtained in Victoria. TABLE 5 REASONS FOR SELECTING CHILDCARE RANK ORDER I liked children82.8% I had pleasant associations77.2% I wanted to improve the image22.8% I wanted to direct a centre22.1% The next question invited participants to indicate their 3 greatest pleasures obtained from working in child care from a list of 7 items. TABLE 6 GREATEST PLEASURE IN YOUR WORK RANK ORDER Watching children grow and develop73.2% Interacting with children70.8% Being with children33.7% Seeing other adults work effectively with children11.2% `Changing the system' through such activities as influencing legislation7.0% Working with adults5.2% Helping other adults grow and develop0.8% The most popular responses were "watching children grow and develop" (73.2%) and "interacting with children" (70.8%). The responses for adult- oriented or system oriented items was small. Question 7 invited participants to rank from 1 to 5 the activities, from a list of 15 items, which they believed effective child care workers would feel most comfortable performing. (This does not necessarily imply feelings of competence). "Interacting with children" (70.8%) was perceived as the most "comfortable" activity, followed by a range of four other activities which would be described as Novice on Vander Ven's chart; however "directing and managing centres or programs", (3.7%) which is an Entrepreneurial activity, received some support, as did Advanced and Entrepreneurial activities. (3.0% - 0.4%). Vander Ven's responses indicated about 30% would feel comfortable directing and managing centres - a significant difference. It should be noted that only 43.4% indicated they felt comfortable with "carefully designing daily routines so children learn from them". This could be a function of the group's age and lack of experience, or an indication of training. TABLE 7 EFFECTIVE CHILD CAREGIVER ACTIVITIES RANK ORDER Interaction with children70.8% Carefully designing daily routines so children can learn from them43.4% Rearranging the environment to better facilitate play and interaction among the children28.8% Observing children carefully22.8% Devising new activities for children16.5% Directing and managing centres or programs3.7% Working with parents3.0% Supervising staff2.2% Training or teaching other child care practitioners1.5% Doing research1.1% Giving speeches/workshops at professional meetings0.4% Writing grant proposals0 Fund raising0 Lobbying for legislation0 Marketing and promoting their programs0 The final item listed the descriptions of a "good child care practitioner" at the Novice, Advanced and Entrepreneurial Stages. Respondents were asked to check all words that best described the characteristics of a good practitioner. The lists were presented in random fashion, rather than clusters of adjectives from each of the Novice, Advanced Direct or Indirect Care groupings. Results indicated that the majority of caregivers perceived the lists described under the heading of "Basic Caregiving" and most of the Mayeroff Cluster as being important. "Pro-active" (88.8%) and "Professional" (75.7%) received strong support also. However "Altruistic Surrender" and affective descriptions did not receive a great deal of support, apart from "spontaneous" (73%), yet these were included in the list of Novice descriptions. Cognitive descriptions included in the Advanced column, rational, cognitive, logical and analytical, received little support, as did the majority of the Instrumental and Entrepreneurial descriptions deemed to be important for the Entrepreneurial stage. Strangely "empathic" did not receive a great deal of support as a basic caregiving strategy. DISCUSSION INSERT TABLE 8 HERE The results were very similar to those achieved by Vander Ven notwithstanding the older aged and more experienced American cohort. There was a close relationship between practitioner motivation to enter the field, the purpose of child care and the activities the child care practitioner is most comfortable in performing, e.g. I like children, I like caring for and about children. These responses seem reasonable at the Novice Stage and could be defended at the Advanced Stage of professional development. Both American and Australian responses yielded little support for concepts of policy making, entrepreneurial activities or professional enterprise although 88.8% ranked "pro-active" as one of the best words to describe a good child care worker, and "professional" was ticked by 75.7% of respondents. This latter response may be due in no small way to the increasing emphasis on professionalism at both pre-service and inservice levels of training of child care workers. Similar results were gained by both groups on the need for image building; 22.8% of Victorian respondents indicated this was an important reason for selecting child care as an occupation. However Cognitive descriptions at the Advanced Stage and Instrumental, Professional and Entrepreneurial descriptions which possibly could have contributed towards enhancing the image of the child care field were not selected as important. The reasons for this are two fold; the majority of respondents were young and inexperienced and probably still at the Survival or Consolidation stages as described by Katz (1977). Their behaviour would be more likely to be characterised by Novice descriptions rather than Advanced or Entrepreneurial. In addition many of the adjectives listed at the Entrepreneurial stage, e.g. assertive, authoritive, manipulative, competitive, aggressive, ambitious, powerful, may have been perceived by respondents as inappropriate. It will be necessary to substitute more "Australian-acceptable" descriptions for leadership roles and styles in order to determine whether the failure to respond to the Entrepreneurial descriptions was a function of the lack of attraction of the descriptions themselves or the Novice state of the participants. The work of Kinney (1992) on characteristics of women's leadership could be useful. In any case there appears to be a case for offering inservice training for young and/or inexperienced caregivers to assist them to appreciate the need to embrace more sophisticated roles in child care and to develop the personal and professional characteristics which appear to reflect the success of those roles. BIBLIOGRAPHY Commonwealth Department of Health, Housing and Community Services (1992) 1992 Census of Child Care Services, AGPS. Katz, Lilian G. (1977),Talks with Teachers, Washington: NAEYC. Kinney, Joyce (1992) New Thoughts on Child Care Administration and Leadership involving emerging information on the Psychology of Women, paper presented at NAEYC Conference, New Orleans, November. Kusher, Anne Spidell, McGrevin, Carol Z. and Lambiotte, Judith G. (1992) Belief Systems of Early Childhood Teachers and their Principles Regarding Early Childhood Education, Early Childhood Research Quarterly, Vol 7 (2), 277-296. Small, Richard W. & Dodge, Laura M. (1988) Roles, Skills and JobTasks in Professional Child Care - A Review of the Literature, Child and Youth Care Quarterly, Vol 17 (1), Spring, 6-23. Vander Ven, Karen (1986) And You Have a Ways to Go: the Current Status and Emerging Issues in Training and Education for Child Care Practice, in Vander Ven, K. (ed) Competent Caregivers, Competent Children, Training and Education for Child Care Practice, New York: The Haworth Press, 13-34. Vander Ven, Karen (1991) The Relationship between Notions of Caregiving Held by Early Childhood Practitioners and Stages of Career Development, in "Chan, Po-King, Betty (ed). Early Childhood Towards the 21st Century: a Worldwide Perspective, Hong Kong, Yew Chung Education Publishing Co. TABLE 8 CHILD CARE PERSONNEL STAGES AND ADJECTIVES RELATING TO RESPONSIBILITIES Stage 1P----!----L----!---R Stage 2Stage 3 DIRECT CARE -ADVANCED DIRECTINDIRECT CARE NOVICECARE (BC+) "Altruistic Surrender"Cognitive (CO) (AS) SelflessRational PassiveCognitive RescuingLogical ModestAnalytical Affective (A) Intuitive Spontaneous 73% Informal Expressive Basic Caregiving (BC)Mayeroff Cluster (M) Loving 91.8%Patient 98.5% Nurturing 85.4%Honest 84.6% Sensitive 88.0%Knowledgeable 73.4% Helpful 88.8%Devoted 70% Sympathetic 77.9%Trustful 85.0% Feeling 74.9%Humble Warm 93.3%Courageous EmpathicHopeful Kind 86.1% Compassionate 78.3% Flexible 87.6% Instrumental (I) Planful Goal oriented Assertive Pro-active 88.8% Professional (P) Authoritative Professional 75.7% Entrepreneurial (E) Manipulative Competitive Entrepreneurial Aggressive Ambitious Powerful TABLE 1 CHILD CARE PERSONNEL STAGES AND ADJECTIVES RELATING TO RESPONSIBILITIES Stage 2Stage 3 DIRECT CARE -ADVANCED DIRECTINDIRECT CARE NOVICECARE (BC+) "Altruistic Surrender"Cognitive (CO) (AS) SelflessRational PassiveCognitive RescuingLogical ModestAnalytical Affective (A) Intuitive Spontaneous Informal Expressive Basic Caregiving (BC)Mayeroff Cluster (M) LovingPatient NurturingHonest SensitiveKnowledgeable HelpfulDevoted SympatheticTrustful FeelingHumble WarmCourageous EmpathicHopeful Kind Compassionate Flexible Instrumental (I) Planful Goal oriented Assertive Pro-active Professional (P) Authoritative Professional Entrepreneurial (E) Manipulative Competitive Entrepreneurial Aggressive Ambitious Powerful