Äitien palvelutyytyväisyyden rakentuminen ja yhteistyökokemukset varhaiskasvatuksessa

Authors

• Lotta Saranko University of Jyväskylä, Finland
• Eija Räikkönen University of Jyväskylä, Finland
• Mariia Makkonen City of Heinola, Finland
• Maarit Alasuutari University of Jyväskylä, Finland

Keywords:

early childhood education and care, varhaiskasvatus, ECEC service provider, varhaiskasvatuspalveluntarjoaja, service satisfaction, palvelutyytyväisyys, co-operation, yhteistyö

Abstract

This article examines mothers’ satisfaction with their one-year-old child’s early childhood education and care (ECEC) services by exploring the dimensions of service satisfaction. Additionally, we study whether the co-operation between parents and staff or the service provider (private vs. public) is related to maternal service satisfaction. Finally, we examine whether the relationship between co-operation and service satisfaction differs by the ECEC service provider. The data was collected in a survey conducted by the CHILDCARE Project. The participants were the mothers (N = 549) of one-year-old children attending ECEC. Exploratory factor analysis and sequential linear regression analysis were used as methods of analysis. Two dimensions of maternal service satisfaction were found: ECEC resources and practices and Access to and location of ECEC. Co-operation with the ECEC staff was positively related to the mothers’ service satisfaction. The users of private ECEC services were more satisfied with ECEC resources and practices than the users of public ECEC services. This research provides new information on the structure of ECEC service satisfaction and supports the positive link between service satisfaction and parent-staff cooperation suggested in previous research. However, further research is required, for example, due to the increase in private ECEC provision.