Enrolling a child in centre-based care: The parent's experience

Many studies have identified the obstacles that parents face in accessing centre-based childcare, such as long waiting lists and inconvenient hours of operation. But very few studies have explored parents' adjustment when they do access childcare and separate from their children for the first time. Understanding parents' emotional experiences of enrolling their children in centre-based care can help staff to provide appropriate support to parents at this time of family transition.;In this qualitative study, 8 parents of children between the ages of 1 and 3 years who were within their first year of centre-based care were interviewed regarding their emotional experiences of childcare decision-making, their concerns for their children's emotional well-being while in care, and their hopes and desires for their children's childcare experience. The interviews were transcribed and entered into NViv08 software and coded using the three levels of coding recommended by Speziale and Carpenter (2003). The overarching theme identified was a transition from a feeling of helplessness to a sense of coping. Three sub-themes provided insight into how this transition can be successfully made: 1) a belief that the childcare environment is emotionally nurturing for the child; 2) a belief that centre-based care has unique benefits over home-based care; and 3) a feeling of connectedness to the child despite the physical separation. The findings can be used by centre directors and staff to support parents and facilitate their emotional adjustment as their children enter centre-based care. Implications for policy and future research are suggested.