영아 참여권 실현을 위한 보육교사의 지원 경험 탐색

Abstract

Objectives This study aimed to investigate how daycare teachers support toddlers' participation rights and to identify challenges and needs in the process. Methods Qualitative research method was applied to select 12 childcare teachers from S and C cities as research participants. The study involved conducting a first group interview and a second individual interview in a semi-structured format, as well as conducting phone interviews when additional information was needed. Results Childcare teachers who work with toddlers provided opportunities for them to express themselves and make decisions, and tried to understand their intentions. They also acted as representatives of the toddlers wishes to others and provided basic information on issues that affect the children. However, they faced difficulties in guaranteeing children's participation rights due to a lack of specific knowledge and experience, developmental limitations of young children, and challenging circumstances. They discussed specific improvement needs for the realization of children's participation rights, such as creating an environment that better reflects individual needs and improving teacher education opportunities for continued reflection and better understanding. Conclusions The study confirms that childcare teachers support toddlers’ participation rights in a child-centered way. However, they experience difficulties due to internal and external factors and have clear demands for improvement. It is crucial to continuously improve the childcare environment based on practical information related to supporting toddlers’participation rights ,to ensure a supportive environment for toddlers’ participation rights.