Browsing by Subject "sensitiivinen aikuinen"

This study examines children's social skills in nonstandard hour child care. According to previous studies varying situations stress children and challenge employees. This study will assess children's social skills, the quality of nonstandard hour child care and parents' wishes for supporting children's skills. Research was carried out in two nonstandard hour child care centres in Uusimaa. The study involved 45 children and 10 groups. The study was conducted as a survey to parents and staff and by observing the kindergarten group activities and learning environment. The study was a mixed methods study, which utilized both qualitative and quantitative research data. Quality of learning environment varied between the groups to some extent. The results are in line with research conducted in integrated special groups. The quality in preschool groups was higher than in other groups. Social skills develop with age but there is a drop of emotional skills at the age of four and there are differences in social skills between girls and boys. Parents wish support to children's social skills in nonstandard hour child care. The metric used for the quality assessment could be used for learning environment evaluation in the future. There is good opportunity for supporting children's emotional and social skills in nonstandard hour child care. With the support of the sensitive adult children can join in the play and enjoy peers in changing social situations.