Title : A qualitative study of the demand and feasibility of university student volunteers in childcare services for infants and toddlers aged 0-3 years
Abstract:
Background: In the era of "good raising chridren ", infant and child care services have become an important support mechanism for favorable parenting policies. Recent studies have revealed that in China, current childcare services are characterized by uneven quality and configuration of staffing, lack of accessible services, and low acceptance and trust from parents towards childcare institutions, and that there is an imbalance between supply and demand for infant and toddler care in China, and the forms of childcare services are relatively homogeneous. Research indicates that university students have the potential to participating in community inclusive childcare services, and with their characteristics of high cultural literacy and ample time, offering multiple values and advantages.
Purpose: This study aims to investigate parents' needs and the feasibility of university student volunteers participating in childcare services for infants and toddlers aged 0-3 years.
Methods: This research used a descriptive qualitative research method.Through purposive sampling, semi-structured, one-on-one in-depth interviews were conducted with 28 parents of infants and toddlers aged 0-6 years old in a community in Hangzhou from May to August 2023. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the interview data.
Results: Three themes and eight sub-themes themes were identified: basic requirements for university student volunteers (gender, personnel, major, personality, family background); contents of pre-service training for university student volunteers (emergency knowledge and first aid, basic infant and toddler care, infant and toddler psychology, etc.); and activity arrangement for university student volunteers (time and location). The study found that most parents preferred female university student volunteers, who could provideregular service m. Preferred volunteers had professional backgrounds in education or nursing, were cheerful, patient, responsible and loving, with no specific requirements regarding their family backgrounds. They were expected to have training in emergency first aid, infant and toddler care, and psychology, and preferred service locations were in the home and community, with fixed schedules, and no clear preference for weekdays or weekends.
Conclusion: This study provides suggestions and references for the optimization of the institutional mechanism of university student volunteer services. It explores new pathways to improve the quality of childcare services for infants and toddlers aged 0-3 years and provides reference for further subsequent large-scale investigation and research.
Audience Take Away:
- Parents' Perspectives: An understanding of parents' needs and preferences regarding childcare services, with a focus on the personal characterics and early childhood training they expect from university student volunteers.
- Feasibility of University Student Involvement: The potential advantages of involving university students in childcare services, based on findings from interviews with parents.
- Recommendations for Service Optimization: Suggestions on how to optimize the integration of university student volunteers into childcare services, emphazise specific pre-service training.
- Broader Implementation: The result of this research set the baseline for further large-scale studies, and has the potential to improve the quality of childcare services in China.
