Parent and Staff Expectations for Continuity of Home Practices in the Child Care Setting for Families with Diverse Cultural Backgrounds

Abstract

DEVELOPMEnt in yOunG children is influenced not only by biological factors but also by experiences related to the child's ecological environment, such as the relationship with the primary caregiver as well as social, cultural and socioeconomic influences (Bronfenbrenner, 1979; Owen, Ware & Barfoot, 2000). Culture and society are strong determinants in the development of the individual, particularly because they affect child-rearing practices (Harkness, 1980; Vygotsky, 1978). This article focuses on two routine caregiving practices for young children from birth to three years: sleep and feeding. It has been argued that the routine practices of putting young children to sleep and of feeding children contribute to the cultural 'blueprint' that forms a child's identity and sense of self (

Parents’ Perspectives on the Need for Professional Development for Early Childhood Teachers in Botswana

“…The most cited skills by the parents were child care and communication skills. According to (De Gioia, 2009), these two skills are essential for cultural continuity of care giving practices. At the same time, teachers need to pay attention to the cognitive, socio-emotional and physical development of the children (Kariuki et al, 2007).…”

Exploring the partnership between language minority parents and professionals in early childhood education and care: a systematic review

“…While a linguistic mismatch is reported in 16 of the 26 reviewed studies, the LM parents and ECEC professionals shared a linguistic and cultural background in the remaining ten. The latter studies point to smooth and open communication between the parents and professionals, which inevitably improves the relationship (Adair, 2016;Baker and Páez, 2018;De Gioia, 2009;De Gioia, 2015;Fehrer and Tognozzi, 2017;Harji et al, 2017;Gilliard et al, 2007;Loveridge et al, 2012;Mancilla-Martinez and Lesaux, 2014;Mitchell et al, 2015).…”

Parents' Perspectives of the Home–School Interrelationship: A Study of Two Hong Kong–Australian Families

“…teachers, educators) form stereotypes along ethnic lines regarding family cultural practices (Archer & Francis, 2007;Sanagavarapu, 2010). Other studies have found that teachers and staff assume that mainstream dominant practices are (Fleer & Hedegaard, 2010) and ignore individual family practices, simply responding to their own macro-cultural practices (De Gioia, 2009).…”

“…Recent studies on early childhood have recognised the importance of a mutual understanding between school and family, especially in increasingly multicultural societies (De Gioia, 2009;Sanagavarapu, 2010;Vuckovic, 2008). Better mutual understanding can enhance homeschool relations, as well as act for the betterment of the child.…”