A Qualitative Case Study on the Perceptions of Early Childhood Educators on Parental Participation in Early Childhood Education and Care Settings

Abstract

Parents' participation in their children's education are issues that have been of concern to educational research over time. So are the dimensions of communication and cooperation that develop between the educational organization and the child’s family. Nowadays, the majority of young children are enrolled in a variety of early childhood education and care settings, such as day care centers. Parental participation in these programmes is recognised as an important indicator for the provision of quality services. It is considered that it improves the quality of the structures, the upbringing of children and the learning environment at home overall. Research suggest that high quality early childhood education and care settings has a positive impact on the child's development and attitude towards learning, both in a short and a long term basis. In this paper we explore a single case study of an early years educator through a semi-structured interview. The aim is to gain an in-depth understanding of how an early childhood educator of 0-4 years old views and experience parental involvement in the nursery setting. The findings of this study provide strong evidence that early childhood educator’s attitudes and perceptions towards parental involvement are positive. The early childhood educator’s belief is that a meaningful relationship and collaboration with parents and the early childhood center is important in order to encourage parents to participate in the nursery’s daily routine0. Although they acknowledge that there are barriers that hinder parental participation, they make efforts to overcome the barriers.The necessity of this study is supported by the gaps identified in the review of international and Greek research activity regarding its topic and its usefulness in early childhood education and care, as it provides valuable insights into the type and quality of parental involvement in early childhood and the practices that early childhood educators can enhance.