TEACHERS ATTITUDES TOWARDS INCLUSION OF REFUGEE CHILDREN IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE CENTERS IN GREECE

Abstract

Since 2015, increased numbers of refugee families with pre-school-aged children have arrived in Greece. Inclusion preschool refugee children in quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) centers is about embracing diversity, including every child holistically and providing opportunities for all children to participate and benefit. The present study examined the general ECEC teachers’ attitudes towards the inclusion of refugee children into their classroom in public ECEC centers, their behavior and factors that might influence the attitudes towards inclusion based on Eagly & Chaiken’s  three-component model of attitude and Bronfenbrenner’s theory. The research sample consists of 114 ECEC teachers working at public municipal child care centers in the area of Thessaloniki in Northern Greece. The results showed that the ECEC teachers have positive attitude towards inclusion of refugee children, however seemed doubtful in the implementation of inclusion.