An examination of roles and responsibilities of paraprofessionals in the education and care of infants and toddlers: A contribution to their initial training.

Abstract

Significant advances in psychology and neuroscience research has contributed to a deepened understanding that the first two years of life are a critical period for brain development. The lack of stimulating experiences produces deficits in physical, cognitive and especially emotional health of babies. For this reason, it is essential to provide intentional pedagogical experiences to children from birth to two years old, through quality early childhood education. This, however, requires competent and well-trained professionals and paraprofessionals, whose preparation and learning opportunities are aligned with the roles and responsibilities they must fulfill in their professional lives. The objective of this study was to explore, through interviews with paraprofessionals and literature reviews, the roles and responsibilities of Chilean practitioners who work with infants and toddlers, and compare these results with the initial training curriculum. Both convergences and discrepancies were found, which enabled the elaboration of recommendations for initial training and public policies in early childhood education.