Source avec lien : Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 63. 10.1016/j.ecresq.2022.12.001
Aux États-Unis, les garderies permettent à de nombreux parents et soignants de travailler à l’intérieur et à l’extérieur du foyer et favorisent la croissance et le développement des enfants. Les fermetures de garderies et les mesures d’atténuation COVID-19 au début de la pandémie ont accentué le besoin et la sensibilisation au rôle des garderies en tant qu’infrastructure de base. L’objectif de notre étude était d’examiner la perception du rôle et des avantages des services de garde d’enfants à partir des expériences vécues par les parents, les soignants et le personnel qui ont dû s’orienter vers les services de garde d’enfants pendant la pandémie.
Child care centers in the United States allow many parents and caregivers to work in and outside of the home and support the growth and development of children. Child care closures and COVID-19 mitigation measures at the onset of the pandemic heightened the need for and awareness of the role of child care as core infrastructure. The purpose of our study was to examine the perceived role and benefits of child care based on the lived experiences of parents/caregivers and staff navigating child care during the pandemic. We conducted in-depth qualitative interviews with parents/caregivers (n = 20) of children who attended child care and staff (n = 12) who were working at child care programs in Ohio from September to November 2020. Qualitative data were coded and analyzed through the lens of four frameworks (i.e., capabilities, developmental, economics, and mutualism) related to child well-being. Our results highlight the perceived value of child care (a) for fostering capabilities and developmental growth in children; (b) for providing economic benefits for children, parents, and staff of child care programs; and (c) as an essential infrastructure that mutually benefits children, parents, families, staff, and the community. Findings support existing evidence regarding the broader impacts of child care and further investigation into the role of child care. We highlight the potential need for further investments in policies, resources, and supports for child care that reflects its essentialness and generative role.