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The evolving issues of transition to preschool for children living in the Brussels Region

par Amerijckx, Gaëlle ;Humblet, Claire Perrine
Référence 22nd EECERA Conference (29/08/2012-01/09/2012: Porto, Portugal)
Publication Non publié, 2012-08-29

Communication à un colloque

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Résumé :

Aims of the research: Our research aims to address children’ situations throughout their different living environments, with holding account of the various dimensions of their wellbeing. As such, the issue of continuity (or discontinuity) constitutes a key factor for wellbeing: consistency.Theoretical Framework: Our research relies on a socio-ecological approach to child wellbeing, with a focus on institutional issues.Methodology: Data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews from 50 parents and 33 professionals residing/or working inside one of four contrasted areas of the Brussels Region. These two groups of proxi were treated as experts. Content analyses were performed on each group.Ethical considerations: Conditions regarding participants’ consent, their freedom of speech, and the preservation of their anonymity were guaranteed.Main findings: Preschool services typically organize and unfold their activities around diverse learning experiences, which relate to four main issues of: rules and structure, peer socialization, autonomy, and self-expression. Through the experience of childcare, children are slowly sensitized to these issues, rendering the transition to preschool smoother; professionals do count on it. Yet our results show the increasing number of children experiencing preschool as their first collective service. Thus they face not one but all four issues at once: the transitional period can easily become a prolonged period of discomfort. An additional issue concerns the knowledge of French as a second/ or new language: in our study, most families not inclined to use childcare were not proficient in French.Implications for practice and/or policy: A better home/school transition could be addressed through quality practices relying on adapted training and curricula, generalized adaptation periods and relevant parents’ implication, but also through supportive policies such as guaranteed access to preschool from 2,5 years old and lower child/staff ratios among early preschool classes.