Primary Caregiving - A Mother's Answer to Childcare

Following on from my previous post, there has been a solution to developing attachment, trust and a strong relationship with an infant through the primary caregiving system. Although the number of qualified staff has been reduced in under two’s settings, primary care giving has become one solution to infants and toddlers gaining the care and quality needed. Feeney, Christensen, Moravcik, and Nolte, (2010), claim the primary care giving system allows children to develop a warm, nurturing relationship with a teacher who will learn the particular needs of that individual and who handles the majority of care for that child. Feeney et al. (2010) also state that families may become concerned that their child will become too attached to that primary caregiver but studies have shown that the parental bond becomes stronger.

 Jean Rockel , (2005, p. 84), states “Babies are not immature adults – they exhibit capabilities and educators are there as much to learn from them as the infant will learn from the adult. Therein lies the vulnerability of the infant (and the parent) to inattentive practice. The rights and responsibilities for such practices lie with parents and teachers.” Therefore primary care giving allows parents and teachers to have open communication and discuss the needs of the infant and how they can be supported. This can put the parents mind at ease knowing that if they were to put there infant into a centre, their child will be in a safe environment and they, the parent, is supported by teachers in an early childhood centre. Lally, Torres, Phelps, (1994, p. 5), states "primary caregiving does not mean that one person cares for an infant or toddler exclusively, all of the time – there has to be teaming. Primary caregiving does mean that the infant or toddler has someone special with whom to build an intimate relationship."

According to Sebastian - Nickell and Milne, (1997), important aspects for infants in early childhood settings are their abilities, empathy, emotional problems, temperament, attachment, language development and physical development. Sebastian – Nickell and Milne, (1997) also state it is essential in early childhood to support infants through stimulation and relationships. Santrock, (2009), supports this by claiming through infancy psychological activities become essential to the infant such as language, sensory motor co-ordination, symbolic thought and social interactions and learning. This proves through infants being in a centre, teachers know what developmental needs of the infant need to be met and how. Through communication between the parent and teacher, parents and whaanau can become reassured that the stimulation and relationships that the infant is getting in their home environment can also be related to that in an early childhood setting. Te Whāriki, (Ministry of Education, 1996) state that an infant should develop a close trusting relationship with, at minimum, one other person.

Therefore the primary caregiving system allows for close relationships to form, trust to be established and the infant to be in an environment where it is warm, safe and nurturing.

FOREVER IN MY HEART

Although I'm not their mother
I care for them each day,
I cuddle, sing and read to them
And watch them as they play.

I see each new accomplishment,
I help them grow and learn.
I understand their language,
I listen with concern.

They come to me for comfort,
And I kiss away their tears.
They proudly show their work to me,
I give the loudest cheers!

No, I 'm not their mother,
But my role is just as strong.
I nurture them and keep them safe,
Though maybe not for long.

I know someday the time will come,
When we will have to part.
But I know each child I cared for,
Is forever in my heart!

~~~ Author Unknown~~~

 

Reference

Feeney, S., Christensen, D., Nolte, S., & Moravcik, E. (2010). Who am I

in the lives of children?(8^th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson

Education.

Lally, R., Torres, Y., & Phelps, P. (1994) Caring for infants and toddlers

            groups: Considerations for emotional, social, and cognitive

            development.  Retrieved April 26, 2011 from

            http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED371885.pdf

Ministry of Education. (1996) Te Whāriki: He Whāriki matauranga o ngā

mokopuna o Aotearoa / Early childhood curriculum.                           

            Wellington: Learning Media.

Rockel, J. (2005). Primary care in early childhood education: To be or not

to be? Retrieved April 20, 2011 from

http://www.education.auckland.ac.nz/.../education/.../ACE_Pap

er_6_Issue_15.doc.

Santrock J.W. (2008). Life-span development (11^th ed.). New York, NY:

McGraw Hill.

Sebastian-Nickell, P., & Milne, R. (1997). Care and education of young

children. Melbourne, Australia: Addison Wesley Longman

Australia.