Abstract
BackgroundHigh quality child care is a population health investment that relies on the capacity of providers. The mental health and wellbeing of child care educators is fundamental to care quality and turnover, yet sector views on the relationship between working conditions and mental health and wellbeing are scarce. This paper examines child care educators’ and sector key informants’ perspectives on how working in family day care influences educator’s mental health and wellbeing.MethodsSemi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with Australian family day care educators (n = 16) and key informants (n = 18) comprised of representatives from family day care schemes, government and other relevant organisations regarding the relationship between working conditions and educator mental health. Thematic analysis referenced the assumptions and concepts of critical inquiry and used social exchange theory.ResultsEducators and key informants reported that educators’ mental health was affected by the quality of their relationships with government, family day care schemes, and the parents and children using their services. These social relationships created and contributed to working conditions that were believed to promote or diminish educators’ mental health. High quality relationships featured fair exchanges of educator work for key resources of social support and respect; adequate income; professional services; and information. Crucially, how exchanges influenced educator wellbeing was largely contingent on government policies that reflect the values and inequities present in society.ConclusionsMaking policies and relationships between educators, government and family day care schemes fairer would contribute strongly to the protection and promotion of educator mental health and wellbeing, and in turn contribute to workforce stability and care quality.
Highlights
High quality child care is a population health investment that relies on the capacity of providers
This study aims to examine child care educators’ and sector key informants’ perspectives on how working in family day care influences educators’ mental health and wellbeing
Data analysis This paper focuses on the working conditions that educators and key informants believe improve, maintain or compromise Family day care (FDC) educator mental health and wellbeing
Summary
High quality child care is a population health investment that relies on the capacity of providers. This paper examines child care educators’ and sector key informants’ perspectives on how working in family day care influences educator’s mental health and wellbeing. Services include monitoring in regard to regulations and standards, as well as professional support during monthly home visits or via telephone/email, processing of government child care rebates, filling child care vacancies, professional development, support in emergencies and in some instances access to toy libraries, playgroups and educator counselling. Educators are bound both by government regulations and the policies and processes of their affiliated schemes. The relationship between working conditions and educator mental health has been identified as an important and under-researched issue for FDC, with implications for turnover and care quality [13]
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