It's all about the children: An ethnographic study of the First 5 Children and Families Commission of California

Over the last century, the balance between public and private responsibility for young children has been in constant flux. Since the first division between day nurseries and the nursery school, a debate has existed about how best to address the 'needs' of young children. Some argue that the debate will continue until a consensus can be reached as to where the responsibility rests.;In California, a precedent for providing early care was set after World War II. Now 60 years later, First 5 of California's Children and Families Commission may be the bridge between public and private responsibility for early care and education. Contributing to the motivation for this study was my own involvement in early childhood education, both as a former preschool teacher and as a former employee of First 5 Santa Barbara County.;This study seeks to examine how First 5 California was (1) created and (2) its subsequent evolution through First 5 Santa Barbara County. Through observation, interviews, and historical documents, an exploration into the organization was undertaken. Through critical discourse and narrative analysis of participant narratives, how this organization operates day-to-day is revealed. The data shows that the interactions between employees and their environment ultimately reproduce the organization. Also contributing to this reproduction is the way the participants position themselves and others. In addition, the challenges faced when a prior relationship exists between the researcher and the organization studied is explored. With a better understanding of the social interaction within an organization, an appreciation and how larger societal needs are met within that interaction may be possible.