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Daycare Children of Divorce and Their Helpers

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Abstract

Caring for children of divorce may prevent emotional and behavioural problems. This study investigates daycare staff’s beliefs about caring for young children who have experienced parental divorce. Q methodology was applied for this purpose, and 33 participants sorted 40 subjective statements. The Q factor analyses resulted in four factors or viewpoints: (1) child-sensitive helpers, (2) insecure helpers, (3) confident helpers, and (4) distant child helpers. The results show both coherence and diversity between the daycare staff’s viewpoints. Practical implications of the four main views regarding daycare staff and children of divorce are discussed. Education and counselling for daycare staff in dealing with children of divorce are suggested.

Résumé

Prendre soin des enfants de parents divorcés peut prévenir des problèmes émotionnels et comportementaux. Cette étude s’intéresse aux croyances du personnel de garderie relatives à l’attention à donner aux jeunes enfants dont les parents ont divorcé. La méthodologie Q a été utilisée à cette fin et 33 participants ont classé 40 énoncés subjectifs. Les analyses du facteur Q ont donné quatre facteurs ou points de vue : (1) les aidants sensibles aux enfants, (2) les aidants manquant d’assurance, (3) les aidants confiants et (4) les aidants distants. Les résultats montrent une certaine cohérence et diversité des points de vue du personnel de garderie. Les auteurs discutent des implications pratiques des quatre visions principales concernant le personnel de garderie et les enfants de parents divorcés. Ils suggèrent de former et soutenir le personnel de garderie qui s’occupe d’enfants de parents divorcés.

Resumen

La atención prestada a hijos de parejas divorciadas puede evitar problemas emocionales y de conducta. Este estudio explora las opiniones de personal de guardería sobre el cuidado de niños que han sufrido el divorcio de sus padres. A tal efecto, se aplicó la metodología Q, según la cual 33 participantes clasificaron 40 ideas subjetivas. Los análisis de factor Q dieron lugar a cuatro factores o puntos de vista: (1) auxiliares que tienen en cuenta los intereses del niño, (2) auxiliares inseguros, (3) auxiliares seguros, (4) y auxiliares que se muestran distantes con los niños. Los resultados revelan cierta coherencia y diversidad entre los puntos de vista del personal de guardería. Se desarrollan las implicaciones prácticas de las cuatro perspectivas principales en relación con el personal de guardería y los niños con padres divorciados. Se sugiere la formación y el asesoramiento del personal de guardería para tratar con niños de padres divorciados.

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Acknowledgments

This study is a small part of the Bambi project at the University of Stavanger (UiS) (see http://saf.uis.no/category.php?categoryID=5109), supported by the Research Council through grant 187572/S20. We are grateful to the daycare staff who participated in the study and shared their views and the daycare directors who let us use their daycare centres to collect data.

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  1. Centre for Behavioural Research, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway

    Klara Øverland, Ingunn Størksen & Arlene Arstad Thorsen

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  1. Klara Øverland
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  2. Ingunn Størksen
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  3. Arlene Arstad Thorsen
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Correspondence to Klara Øverland.

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Øverland, K., Størksen, I. & Thorsen, A.A. Daycare Children of Divorce and Their Helpers. IJEC 45, 51–75 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13158-012-0065-y

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