Advanced search
1 file | 1.15 MB Add to list

The professionalisation of family day care in Flanders, France and Germany

Author
Organization
Abstract
In several countries, childminders grew in times of economic austerity and growing awareness of the economic function of childcare, as they were legitimised by a home as heaven' ideology and low costs. As a result, childminders have long been regarded as the Cinderellas' of childcare. Three decades later, scholars and policymakers agree on the importance of the educational function of childcare and thus on the importance of professional qualifications during the same time that these countries face the attrition of an entire generation of childminders. This gives rise to both quantitative and qualitative changes and raises the need to reconceptualise family day care (FDC). However, literature on this topic is scarce and information on non-English speaking countries is even more so. We explored productive policies and practices of onthaalouders (Flanders), assistantes maternelles (France) and Tagesmutter (Germany) in order to contribute to the small but increasing body of research in this field. This study shows that while the need for childcare workers is increasing, attrition of childminders might hamper the ambition to realise childcare and thus the attractiveness of the childminding profession requires an upgrade. New and hybrid forms of conjunction of centre-based and FDC challenge stereotypes about substitute mothering and offer possibilities to reconceptualise the childcare profession. However, they do not necessarily change the subordinate position of childminders in the early childhood education and care (ECEC) field.
Keywords
Professionalisation, family day care, childminders, CHILD-CARE, POLICY

Downloads

  • (...).pdf
    • full text (Published version)
    • |
    • UGent only
    • |
    • PDF
    • |
    • 1.15 MB

Citation

Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:

MLA
Bauters, Valerie, and Michel Vandenbroeck. “The Professionalisation of Family Day Care in Flanders, France and Germany.” EUROPEAN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION RESEARCH JOURNAL, vol. 25, no. 3, 2017, pp. 386–97, doi:10.1080/1350293X.2017.1308164.
APA
Bauters, V., & Vandenbroeck, M. (2017). The professionalisation of family day care in Flanders, France and Germany. EUROPEAN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION RESEARCH JOURNAL, 25(3), 386–397. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2017.1308164
Chicago author-date
Bauters, Valerie, and Michel Vandenbroeck. 2017. “The Professionalisation of Family Day Care in Flanders, France and Germany.” EUROPEAN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION RESEARCH JOURNAL 25 (3): 386–97. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2017.1308164.
Chicago author-date (all authors)
Bauters, Valerie, and Michel Vandenbroeck. 2017. “The Professionalisation of Family Day Care in Flanders, France and Germany.” EUROPEAN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION RESEARCH JOURNAL 25 (3): 386–397. doi:10.1080/1350293X.2017.1308164.
Vancouver
1.
Bauters V, Vandenbroeck M. The professionalisation of family day care in Flanders, France and Germany. EUROPEAN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION RESEARCH JOURNAL. 2017;25(3):386–97.
IEEE
[1]
V. Bauters and M. Vandenbroeck, “The professionalisation of family day care in Flanders, France and Germany,” EUROPEAN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION RESEARCH JOURNAL, vol. 25, no. 3, pp. 386–397, 2017.
@article{8532293,
  abstract     = {{In several countries, childminders grew in times of economic austerity and growing awareness of the economic function of childcare, as they were legitimised by a home as heaven' ideology and low costs. As a result, childminders have long been regarded as the Cinderellas' of childcare. Three decades later, scholars and policymakers agree on the importance of the educational function of childcare and thus on the importance of professional qualifications during the same time that these countries face the attrition of an entire generation of childminders. This gives rise to both quantitative and qualitative changes and raises the need to reconceptualise family day care (FDC). However, literature on this topic is scarce and information on non-English speaking countries is even more so. We explored productive policies and practices of onthaalouders (Flanders), assistantes maternelles (France) and Tagesmutter (Germany) in order to contribute to the small but increasing body of research in this field. This study shows that while the need for childcare workers is increasing, attrition of childminders might hamper the ambition to realise childcare and thus the attractiveness of the childminding profession requires an upgrade. New and hybrid forms of conjunction of centre-based and FDC challenge stereotypes about substitute mothering and offer possibilities to reconceptualise the childcare profession. However, they do not necessarily change the subordinate position of childminders in the early childhood education and care (ECEC) field.}},
  author       = {{Bauters, Valerie and Vandenbroeck, Michel}},
  issn         = {{1350-293X}},
  journal      = {{EUROPEAN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION RESEARCH JOURNAL}},
  keywords     = {{Professionalisation,family day care,childminders,CHILD-CARE,POLICY}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{386--397}},
  title        = {{The professionalisation of family day care in Flanders, France and Germany}},
  url          = {{http://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2017.1308164}},
  volume       = {{25}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}

Altmetric
View in Altmetric
Web of Science
Times cited: