Early care and education is a critical investment for the healthy growth, economic sustainability, and future vitality of rural communities because it can have immediate and long-term effects both on the population directly... [ view full abstract ]
Early care and education is a critical investment for the healthy growth, economic sustainability, and future vitality of rural communities because it can have immediate and long-term effects both on the population directly affected by the care, and for the community at large.
While many studies have addressed issues of affordability, accessibility and quality of childcare from the perspective of parents seeking care for their children, this research seeks to understand early care and education work as an occupation. Approximately 2 million people are employed as paid childcare providers in the United States, and far more participate in informal or unpaid care arrangements. In rural communities, care work can serve as an important avenue for female employment, both as an occupation and as a support to women’s participation in other parts of the local economy.
This research is draws from theories of occupational sex segregation and gendered ideologies to explore childcare providers’ perceptions of their work, self, and context. Twenty-five semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with childcare providers in two counties in rural, southwest Pennsylvania. Childcare workers in centers, group care facilities, and home-based providers were included in the study.
This presentation will outline findings from interviews with rural childcare providers about the processes of socialization into the field of early care and education and childcare worker’s adherence to gendered beliefs. These are then connected to the larger movements to professionalize the field. As mandatory licensing, inspections, professional development, and educational requirements add challenging new hurdles for rural childcare providers, an understanding of childcare workers’ perceptions and local community contexts is critical. This research can inform existing outreach, support, and professional development opportunities for rural childcare workers in an increasingly formalized profession.
