Creche Odetinha: um estudo de caso

Abstract

This is a qualitative research, which aims at describing and analysing through a Case Study the training process (2009) of a group of recently selected/appointed child care workers -Day Care Center Assistants (Agentes Auxiliares de Creche, AAC1). In order to do so, the recent changes in early childhood education policies within the municipality of Rio de Janeiro (1997-2010) and the development of an early childhood provision -Creche Municipal Odetinha Vidal de Oliveira, from the perspective of some of its community leaders has been taken into consideration. In the Rio de Janeiro, municipally funded day care centers resulted from institutions which previously belonged to the former Ministry for Social Development (SMDS), the present Municipal Social Services Authority (SAMS) which takes care of the Municipal Personnel Supporting Roles in Education for the Municipal Education Secretariat (EMS). Currently, the municipally funded schools total 255 day care centers, with 33,348 students, full time (07:00 17:00). In 2005, the municipality of Rio de Janeiro executive power, through Law 3985 of 08 April, created the supporting role of Day Care Center Assistants (Agentes Auxiliares de Creche, AAC). Admission to this post was made through a public applications process held in 2007. This process included exams and evaluation of qualifications with minimum requirement of education at elementary level (reference: LDBEN 9394/96). This was a full-time position with a workload of 40 hours per week. The selection process took place regionally, within each CRE. In June 2008 the staff of municipally funded day care centers in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro began to rely on their new structure, with newly selected/appointed staff following the above described selection process. This marked a new trend in the history of these institutions. Taking the profile analysis of these newly selected/appointed staff as a starting point, my goal was to reflect on in-service training necessary to meet the specific requirements to working wihin early years education from birth to three years of age. In doing so I co-participated in the implementation of public policies on early childhood education as part of the municipality s in-service training for Day Care Center Assistants (Agentes Auxiliares de Creche, AAC). To this purpose, I proposed three common and complementary research themes: admission of children and their families to this day Care Center (Creche Municipal Odetinha Vidal de Oliveira); Play and Games; Spatial Arrangement. The research methods used in the study included participant observation, questionnaires and interviews. Additionally, training activities and reflective sessions were developed where the newly selected/appointed staff were given full opportunities for their professional development.