Educators' working conditions in a day care centre on ownership of a non-profit organization

In 2009 eleven educators in a day care centre were observed throughout three complete workdays. A total of 250 working hours were recorded.An educators' workday lasted on average 07:46:59 h (SD = 01:01:10 h). Within this time span, an average of 02:20:46 h (30.14%, SD = 00:28:07 h) were spent on caring, 01:44:18 h on playing (22.33%, SD = 00:54:12 h), 00:49:37 h on educational work (10.62%, SD = 00:40:09), and only 00:05:38 h on individual child contact (1.21%, SD = 00:04:58 h).For the first time, educators' workflow in day care centres was studied in real time. Some of the educators' self-reported problems were corroborated. The results of this study form a basis upon which further investigations can be built and measures can be developed for an overall improvement of child care.The PISA study (Programme for International Student Assessment) of the OECD comparing education among 15-year-olds in more than 30 countries showed that scholar performance of German pupils ranked low in the list of participating countries. The study also found that children who went to kindergarten or pre-school education achieve better results. Therefore more attention has been paid to day care centres as first socializing institutions [1]. Working conditions of pedagogical staff are not very well studied. Nevertheless this profession is subject to several psychosocial requirements [2]. Stress in this job is mainly caused by an interaction of minor strains which sum up in their negative effect [3]. Beside caring and educational duties pedagogical staff is confronted with additional tasks from a changed market situation (e.g. increased competition, certifications for quality control, independent management). Educators are often overtaxed by these tasks. As a consequence of these job conditions nursery school teachers are susceptible to develop complaints like backache, nervousness, headaches and stress or components of job burn-out and mental satiation [4]Research questions on how these de