The Relationship between the Awareness of Childcare Workers’ Parental Support and Parental Identity and Childcare Workers’ Sense of Efficacy

Abstract

  The study clarifies factors influencing childcare workers' parent-support ability. It selected and examined workers' at-home experience of raising children and incidents in professional childcare as probable factors.

  It developed a “Parental Support Ability Scale” to measure workers' parent-support ability. The scale is based on a study of 26 consultation techniques.

  We used the scale to hypothesize and examine a causal relationship model affecting workers' parent-support ability. We selected “parental identity” as a factor reflecting private childcare experience in addition to their sense of efficacy and “their years of career.”

  Results indicate “parental identity” significantly affects workers' sense of efficacy, which substantially impacts “their parent-support ability.” Indications are that parental experience is not directly linked to the parent-support ability but facilitates understanding children and parents, enhancing self-confidence in developing children. The study verifies wisdom that childcare and parental support are inseparable.