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JOURNAL OF INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH
sometimes engages vividly in such interaction, points out to that
he / she is more likely to be able to benefit from such interaction,
from the point of development, and therefore, is better prepared
at least for a short play in the group. Some children handle the
inclusion in nurseries well and it may not necessarily be
endangering or even harmful to them, as it is sometimes
unilaterally emphasized. Others, however, are very immature for
such experience. This apparently depends on the temperament
dispositions, on the previous experience with strangers so far,
dependence on mother, cognitive maturity, but also on the way
of nursery education, etc. L. Markham (2015) argues that, if a
child spends more than twenty hours a week in the facility, this
environment will certainly affect it. The influence is according to
the author, largely positive, as the child learns behavior in a
group of peers and has many opportunities to explore and learn.
However, according to the author, small children are to be in
close contact with one primary adult. The author further notes
that, for example, paid parental leave is not ensured in the US, so
about half of the children in this country spend most of their
active time ( when not sleeping), during the first two years of
their lives, without parents. It is a critical development period,
when the center of emotion develops in the brain. L. Murray
(2016) argues that, one of the biggest studies dealing with the
impact of non-parental care on early aged children found that the
general impact of this care is negligible. However, the study
emphasized that, the nature of this care is important. The author
further emphasizes that, one of the key issues raised in research
into nursery care is the importance of quality. Sufficient staff in
relation to the number of children, well-trained staff and better
salaries ensure more satisfaction for the caregivers, a greater
sense of professionalism and a low turnover rate.
Currently, in accordance with the above mentioned, the ensuring
of a quality environment and a professional approach by carers
in facilities for children at an early age, is a relatively frequently
discussed topic in Slovakia, i.e, "The act of the day nursery care
centres", Social Services Act no. 448/2008 Coll. Based on the
wording of Act 32b, it is possible to place a child in a childcare
facility providing care up to the age of three in Slovakia, where a
"service to promote reconciliation of family life and working
life, by providing childcare under three years of age", is provided
if the parent, or a person who has a child entrusted to a personal
care by court decision, prepares for a vocational education in a
secondary school or college, prepares for the labor market or
performs entry or return activities, and/or is employed. ECEC
facilities for children under the age of 3 provide: routine
childcare, nutrition, education. '
Since its inception, the wording of the act, and its adaptation, has
been the subject of many criticisms, also due to the tightening of
the conditions for the operation of such facility, such as the
provision of barrier-free access, which many operators of
existing facilities can not provide. The issue of discrimination
against some groups of parents and children was also criticized
(e.g. non-working parents, disabled parents), as well as
restrictions on the provision of care, in relation to the child's age
(i.e. up to 3 years). The change in formo f the act has also
brought the view that many of the existing private facilities will
cease to exist, because they will not meet the stringent
conditions for their operation. There are not enough of state-run
facilities for children in Slovakia, so parents and children are
paying for the current situation. However, in the context
described above, we express a skeptical view, because there is
little debate about ensuring the quality of education in these
facilities. At the end of this part of the article, we agree with the
comments of foreign authors P. Broadhead, J. Johnston, C.
Tobbell and R. Wolley (2010), who argue that professionals
from different areas of early childhood education and care
should work together and learn from each other. Social or health
care providers, as well as education professionals, can "benefit"
from an integrated approach and thus provide more effective
measures. The authors further emphasize that, even within one
discipline, professionals can support each other to provide more
effective care. An important part of this integrated work is
partnership or teamwork, so that different knowledge of
professionals, who are professionally engaged in ECEC, is
appreciated, respected, shared with each other. It is always
importante to consider the reason for this integration; an
individual - a child who should be at the center of everything
that is needed to be done and what is done.
3 Methodology, methodics and organization of research
At present, the child's education at an early age is not
systematically addressed in Slovakia. Similarly, it is also abroad.
There are few research studies on early childhood education and
care. They are overshadowed by the research of preschool and
elementary age children, but issues of toddler and infant
education are rarely addressed. There are few state-run
institutions in Slovakia which aim to educate children of early
age. Such education takes place in facilities until the third year
of the child's age. Based on period-conditioned, domestic and
inspirational foreign programs, in line with the socio-cultural
conditions of the present world, ECEC proves necessary not only
for the development of a child in rapidly changing conditions,
but also for parents, who are rapidly returning to their
profession. Parents also have difficulty in choosing parenting
strategies, at a time of rapid information boom and absent
pedagogical counseling, including the absence of educational
programs for children. The main goal of our long-term research
is to conceptualize early childhood education and care for
children up to 3 years of age.
Our intention is to identify the educational aspects of
institutionalized care provided in ECEC facilities up to the 3rd
year of the child's age. To present and analyze the essence of
subjective testimonies of caregivers and early childhood
education and childcare professionals, related to the research
problem identified. To conceptualize the methodological-content
form of ECEC, by identifying educational issues and educational
needs, considered by caregivers, parents, and ECEC
professionals. Research questions are defined as follows: What
are the specifics of early childhood educating in the family and
childcare facilities up to the 3rd. year of the child's age? What
are the positives, negatives of contemporary education in ECEC
facilities up to the 3rd year of the child's age? What early
childhood educating constructs can be identified, based on
mental and social representations of parents, caregivers and other
early childhood educators?
We exclusively used qualitative methodology (M. C. Wittrock).
Our intention is to understand how the subjects of our research
view the studied phenomenon, postpone our view, and describe
the system of relationships, how they (the subjects) connect them
to a network and determine each other. In our research we
exclusively use qualitative research methods and research tools
to gather data, as well as to elaborate them: Focus group (C.
McNamara; J. Plichtová), narrative and discourse interview,
direct and indirect, participative and non-participative
observation (P. Gavora ) and analysis: open coding method (A.
Strauss, J. Corbin), constant comparative method (W.J.
Creswell, M. Kolb), selective coding method (A. Strauss, J.
Corbin).
The target group of our research project were caregivers in
ECEC, providing care up to the third year of the child's age, and
specialists in early childhood education, together with parents.
Research terrain was represented by state-run ECEC facilities
and maternity centers in Bratislava. At the end of the research
project, we managed to implement a workshop in one of the
ECEC facilities, where we presented some of our findings. The
results of the research raised questions - the space for discussion
of the concerned. The participants were: child-educating
professionals (educators, psychologists, healthcare professionals,
politicians and ministerial employees).
In the qualitative research, we have carried out, we applied
validation and reliability methods (D. Kostrub 2016 and L. M.
Ferrer, Jimenéz, M. J. Mayan): Triangulation as a combined
application of different research tools, methods, groups of
research subjects, local and time spaces, and various theoretical
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