The childcare director’s role in preventing burnout: a positive-psychological examination of the caregivers’ lived experience

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study applied a positive-psychological approach to examining childcare directors’ role in maintaining the stability of their staff from the caregivers’ and directors’ points of view. Most of the childcare centers in Israel are characterized by high burnout and turnover of staff members. Nevertheless, some teams stay stable, and turnover is minimal. This study explored the factors using 30 semi-structured interviews with childcare center directors and caregivers regarding their occupational stability. Findings suggested that the sense of belonging to the childcare center was one source of stability. The director acted as a safe haven, maintaining the caregivers’ wellbeing. Other success factors are related mainly to their relations with other staff members, with the director, and with the children, and also to proper management that provides professional training and treats them with respect. The study’s contribution is fourfold. First, it gives voice to a population of women who work under difficult conditions for low pay. Second, it highlights the role of the childcare director in maintaining staff stability. Third, implementing its findings is relevant to creating and improving models of training and supervising early childhood educators. Fourth, studying anti-burnout factors can strengthen teams and provide the children with positive relationships with significant others.