Faculty of Education - Theses

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Start date: 1944 × Subject: Education, Preschool × Author: Armstrong, Kirsten J. ×

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    Early childhood professionals as a source of social support: the role of parent-professional communication
    Armstrong, Kirsten J. ( 2008)
    This exploratory study examined Early Childhood Professionals (ECP) as a source of support for mothers. It investigated the nature of mother-professional communications and how they influenced parental perceptions of support within the context of centre-based child care. The study involved forty mothers whose eldest child was aged between 6 and 36 months and attended at least 16 hours of dare per week in an accredited child care centre. A sequential mixed method research was 'used (quantitative-qualitative).. In the quantitativ� component participants completed a consent form, the Perceived Social Support Survey and a parent-professional Communication Questionnaire. Two mothers were then selected for interview based on their extreme scores on the Perceived Soci�l Support Survey. The interviews aimed to gather more indepth and varied data on mother-professional relationships within the context of their communicative interactions. Survey and Questionnaire data was analysed using correlation and descriptive statistical procedures. Grounded theory was used to analyse the interview responses. Results revealed that: (a) Most mothers perceived ECPs to be supportive; (b) Increased perceptions of social support were linked to specific communication characteristics; (c) A mother's communications and involvement in social networks were associated with higher levels of social support. These social networks were linked to, and supported by the child care centre; (d) Mothers may be looking for more support than they experienced from ECPs. Mothers' perceptions of ECPs as sources of social support are disc�ssed. The nature of mother-ECP communication and its influence on maternal feelings of support are described. Findings are discussed in terms of their relevance to theory and research. Limitations are identified and implications for early childhood policy development and practise are discussed.