Abstract
A Study of Collective Opinions Regarding someAspects of Childcare Center Management in ThailandThe objectives of this study were to find collective opinions about childcare centers services regarding the following: 1) purposes of childcare centers and goals of child development, 2) the main organization responsible for coordinating childcare centers, 3) roles of community, private organization, and government in childcare centers services, and 4) activities for quality control and evaluation of childcare centers services.Sample consisted of four groups of people. The first group consisted of academics, politicians, chief executives of private and governmental organizations providing childcare services. The second group consisted of officials coordinating between central government and local organizations providing the services in Chiengmai, Khonkan, Songhkla, Chonburi, and Bangkok. The third group consisted of workers at childcare centers from top level such as heads of schools to bottom level such as care providers. The last group consisted of parents of children at the childcare centers. The total subjects were 1,663. There was a collective agreement on the purposes of the childcare centers. They were to promote the correct practices of child development ,and to provide basic social habit training for children. The results showed also the collective agreement on goals of child development for the 0-3, and 3-6 years children. These were good physical health, balance of psychological, emotional, and social development, and happiness. Moreover creative thinking was selected as child development goal for the 3-6 years old children. As a result, we recommended that the government should take actions in collecting ideas from experts and practitioners on standard of practices for childcare centers in order to achieve the above purposes and goals. At the same time childcare centers, related organizations, the general public, and other stakeholders should be informed. Their roles and functions should also be identified.
