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16 JULY 2010
NO 1603
Professional development
It is difficult to put a precise date on the emergence of the professional movement in the child care field. Burmeister (1960) titled her book The Professional Houseparent and explained that, "Whatever the term whereby child care workers are known, the word ‘professional’ represents an aspiration and a goal toward which they are discernibly and universally moving" (p. vi). Still, her use of the designation professional seems intended to reflect the idea that houseparents are "valuable" and need a certain body of knowledge and skill to do their jobs well, rather than a conception of the emergence of a profession in the technical sense of the term (see, for example, Green- wood, 1957;Moore, 1970).
Hromadka (1966) reports a study of the tasks and working conditions of child care personnel that, while still based on a limited concept of professionalization, documents the emergence of the child care worker as a formally recognized treatment agent in most of the participating institutions. More recently, in reviewing the literature in this area, Toigo (1975) concludes that "Child care as an occupational specialty appears to have certain, but not all, of the characteristics of a profession” (p. 15). He continues:
Change appears to be occurring, however. Perhaps the greatest current indicator is the exploratory literature now being produced regarding training methods, standards, and curriculum development. It would be unwise to dismiss these current expressions of the "state of the art" as the posturing of those within a marginal occupational specialty seeking to upgrade their own status through the use of an occupational model borrowed from the established professions. The current literature would suggest, rather, an internal process of self-development, as those within child care explore the dimensions of their own personal and occupational experience. As it has become clear that "common sense" is not enough to make an adequate child care worker, both those who teach and practice in the field have begun to articulate a set of common goals and understandings, an important first step in the development of a professional specialty within the human services sector. Even though this is an ongoing process, it is fair to suggest that it is already well under way.
This "intemal process of self-development" is reflected in a variety of indications that the field has, for the first time, begun to demonstrate its staying power as an organized entity. For example, there are at this writing about twenty regional, state, and local child care workers’ associations, most of which are expanding in membership, activities, and influence; and others are in the process of being established. These associations hold regular meetings primarily for members, sponsor conferences and workshops for a broader range of child care workers and others in the field, publish newsletters, and are affiliated with a variety of groups devoted to improving child care services and programs. Increasingly, such associations are also becoming involved in standard setting and establishing certification procedures for child care personnel, working with colleges and universities to establish training programs at the associate, bachelor’s and master’s degree levels. Their membership often encompasses supervisory and administrative personnel in addition to line child care workers, reflecting growing recognition of ,the need for broad-based involvement at all levels of the emerging professional career ladder (Beker, 1977).
JEROME BEKER
Beker, J. (1979). Training and professional development in
child care. In Whittaker, J.K. Caring for troubled children. San
Francisco, CA. Jossey-Bass. pp. 216-218.
REFERENCE
Beker, J.(1977). Editorial: On defining the child care profession – v. Child Care Quarterly, 6. pp. 165-166.
Greenwood, E.(1957). Attributes of a profession. Social Work, 2. pp. 45-55.
Hromadka,V.G. (1966). Child care worker on the road to professionalization. New York. Hawthorne Center for the Study of Adolescent Behavior.
Moore, W.E.(1970). The Professions: Roles and rules. New York. Russell Sage Foundation.
Toigo, R. (1975). Child care manpower development: A literature review. Child Care Quarterly, 4. pp. 6-17.
