Reasons Given by ECEC Professionals for (Not) Being in Contact With Parents During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the German government took drastic measures and ordered the temporary closure of early childhood education and care services (apart from emergency care). Most pedagogical professionals in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings were unable to provide institutional care for children during this period, and thus experienced difficulties fulfilling their legally mandated professional obligation to educate children. Building on the importance of professional–parent collaboration, this study investigates the reasons ECEC professionals gave for (not) being in contact with parents during the pandemic. The database comprises a nationwide survey conducted between April and May 2020 (n = 2,560 ECEC professionals). The results show that the vast majority of respondents were in contact with parents; their stated motives include providing informational or emotional support for parents and children, maintaining a relationship, or inquiring about family wellbeing. The explanations for not being in contact with parents include already existing contact with parents by another member of the ECEC staff, an employer-mandated contact ban, problems on the parents’ side, or personal reasons. We find some differences between managers in center-based childcare, pedagogical employes in center-based childcare, and professionals in family based childcare. Practical implications concerning professional–parent collaboration and the temporary closure of ECEC services are discussed.

Policy Brief zum Zwischenbericht der wissenschaftlichen Evaluation des Bundesprogramms „Sprach-Kitas : Weil Sprache der Schlüssel zur Welt ist“ ; Die Bedeutung der zusätzlichen Fachberatungen und Kita-Tandems für die Implementation des neuen Querschnittsthemas Digitalisierung

“…Im Zuge der Schließung von Bildungseinrichtungen aufgrund der Corona-Pandemie hat das Thema Digitalisierung in Kitas zunehmend an Bedeutung gewonnen (Hemmerich et al, 2021;Lang, 2021). Bereitgestellte digitale Bildungsangebote von Fachkräften erwiesen sich als potenzielle Ansätze, um Brücken zwischen Kitas und Familien zu schlagen und um benachteiligende Effekte abzumildern.…”

“…Bereitgestellte digitale Bildungsangebote von Fachkräften erwiesen sich als potenzielle Ansätze, um Brücken zwischen Kitas und Familien zu schlagen und um benachteiligende Effekte abzumildern. Schließlich konnte der Kontakt zu Kindern und Familien, wenn überhaupt möglich, (fast) ausschließlich auf digitalem Wege stattfinden Corona-KiTa-Studie, 2020;Hemmerich et al, 2021). Aus den bisherigen Evaluationserkenntnissen kann abgeleitet werden, dass der Erfolg des Bundesprogramms maßgeblich von der kontinuierlichen und qualitativ hochwertigen fachlichen Begleitung der Einrichtungen und Fachkräfte abhängt (Anders et al, 2021/22).…”

Published in Early Childhood Education Journal, https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10643-023-01536-1: Interaction quality among children, staff and parents in German ECEC centres in the COVID-19 pandemic - Results from a longitudinal study

“…Restrictive reasons for pedagogical staff were mainly data protection rules, i.e. prohibitions by their provider to use contact data of the families when staff work in home office (Hemmerich et al, 2021). At the begin of the pandemic ECEC centres used also digital media to stay in contact with parents, mainly via email and rarely via messenger apps or other tools.…”