보육서비스 질 제고를 위한 어린이집 평가 연계 컨설팅 지원 방안 연구(Ⅳ): CARE 컨설팅 효과 비교를 중심으로

Abstract

□ 유보통합 방안의 일환으로 어린이집은 통합평가 지표를 기준으로 평가인증을 진행하였고, 2017년 11월 현장평가부터 유치원·어린이집 통합평가 지표를 적용한 3차 어린이집 평가인증을 시행하였음.

□ 어린이집 평가인증제도는 자발적 신청에 맡겼기 때문에 질 관리의 사각지대가 존재함. 2019년 1월말 기준으로 전체 어린이집 39,219개소 중 19.2%에 해당되는 7,521개소가 미인증 상태로 나타남.

□ 영유아보육법 개정(’18.12.11)을 통해 2019년 6월 12일부터 평가제를 시행하게 됨. 어린이집 질 관리 표준을 제시하여 모든 어린이집의 보육서비스 수준을 주기적으로 평가하고 관리하여 국가 책무성을 강화하고자 하는 목적임.

□ 유아교육에 비해 보육은 평가 하위등급 어린이집을 대상으로 한 지속 관리가 매우 부족한 상황임.

□ 어린이집 질 관리의 요구가 증가하는 한편 어린이집 평가인증 결과 활용이 부재하다는 지적이 나옴. 이에 따라 의무평가제로써 평가 최하위 등급에 대한 국가의 질 관리 병행을 위한 컨설팅 지원 방안이 필요함.

□ 본 연구는 어린이집 상시 질 관리 및 하위등급 어린이집의 질적 수준 제고를 위해 어린이집 평가인증 결과에 기초하여 컨설팅 지원방안을 마련하는 것을 목적으로 함. 3차년도 평가인증결과 C, D 등급을 받은 어린이집을 대상으로 시범 적용하였으며, 2016년부터 2020년까지 5년 간 추진되는 연속과제임.

□ Backgrounds and Purpose of study -The continuous management systems were needed to improve the service of underqualified childcare centers emerged after Korea Childcare Evaluation (KCE) has been mandatory in 2019. -“Evaluation-based Consulting Program for Childcare Centers (ECPCC)” has been developed by Korea Institute of Child Care and Education (KICCE) in 2016 in order to enable self-monitoring and quality assurance of childcare centers. KICCE has published the serial reports on this project annually since 2016. -This year, ECPCC was modified according to the results from three-year experiences. Underqualified childcare centers were main target of the consulting program.

□ Research Method -Literature review has been done for analysis of the consulting on childcare centers and the materials produced from this project so far since 2016. -There was industry-academy cooperation between Korea Childcare Promotion Institute, 3 support centers for childcare, and KICCE. -Advisory council was consisted of childcare professionals, a research cooperation team, and senior consultants. -Pilot consulting and evaluation has been done for 65 childcare centers with KCE grade C & D. Childcare centers were recruited from Gyeonggi, Incheon, and Chungnam provinces. A follow-up evaluation survey was conducted for 439 childcare center directors, teachers and their consultants who had participated in the pilot program.

□ Results -Number one consulting topic among the 65 childcare centers was Area #1: Childcare curriculum and interaction (43.1%). Second popular consulting topic was Area #4: Teachers (35.4%) among four evaluation domains. -Target behaviors to be changed were different between directors and teachers. Number one target behavior for directors was “to motivate and give feedbacks” (66.7%) in empowerment domain while number one for teachers was “to provide and prepare resources and environments" (47.6%) in resources domain. -Self-evaluations were administered before and after ECPCC. Their performance has been positively changed after the consulting. -In terms of the satisfaction on the consulting, directors’ satisfaction level was higher than that of teachers, in general.Less qualified childcare centers and home childcare centers showed higher behavior changes even though higher quality childcare centers reported high behavior changes too.

□ Policy Suggestion -ECPCC is effective for both high- and low-quality childcare centers, but low-quality childcare centers are more potential to improve. -The keys are to recruit qualified consultants, to provide pre-training, and to make a manual for them in order to keep the constant quality of the consulting program.

□ To Strengthen the Support Systems -Cooperation among local governments, Korea Childcare Promotion Institute and Central Support Center for Childcare is needed for successful consulting. -Direct and indirect incentives are needed for the participant organizations. -Motivating and encouraging childcare center directors and teachers are needed to participate in the consulting program. In addition, it’s better to make it mandatory. -Individual characteristics of participants should be considered.