kap survey on early childhood education and development
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Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Survey (KAP Survey) on Early Childhood Education and Development in Selected Municipalities/Cities in Bosnia and HerzegovinaTRANSCRIPT
Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Survey (KAP Survey) on
Early Childhood Education and Development in Selected Municipalities/Cities
in Bosnia and Herzegovina FINAL REPORT
February 2014, Sarajevo
Authors: Salminka Fazlić, researcher
Nikola Marić, assistant researcher
► RESPONDENT ANONYMITY ASSURANCE
Under ESOMAR and AAPOR rules and regulations, Prism Research is obliged to protect the
anonymity of respondents. All questions/variables containing any information about the identity of
respondents have been removed from the report and the final database. This means that respondents’
answers are physically separate from the data relating to their identity. Any purposeful attempt to come
by the identifying data of respondents, whether by the Client, Prism Research, or any third party, shall
be considered to constitute a serious violation and shall be treated accordingly.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
2. SURVEY RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................ 7
3. SURVEY METHODOLOGY ...................................................................................................................... 8
4. DESCRIPTION OF SURVEY LOCATIONS: GEOGRAPHICAL CONTEXT ......................................... 9
5. SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC DATA ABOUT RESPONDENTS .................................................................. 11
6. DATA ANALYSIS .................................................................................................................................... 12
6.1. AWARENESS AND ATTITUDES ABOUT PRESCHOOL EDUCATION FACILITIES AND
PROGRAMMES ............................................................................................................................................ 13
6.2. PRACTICE AND BARRIERS TO PRESCHOOL EDUCATION .................................................... 16
6.3. SATISFACTION WITH PRESCHOOLS .......................................................................................... 21
6.4. ATTITUDES ABOUT PRESCHOOLS ............................................................................................. 24
6.5. COST OF PRESCHOOL PROGRAMMES ....................................................................................... 32
When it comes to enrolling children in preschool, one of the most important factors, if not the single most
important factor in the country is the price of preschool services. More than half of respondents (59 per
cent) say that in their community preschools operate on a pay-for basis (i.e. are funded by preschool tuition
fees paid by parents), 20 per cent say that they do not operate on a pay-for basis, while 21 per cent of
parents are not sure. Furthermore, respondents in control municipalities more frequently than those in
project municipalities say that the attendance of preschool is on a pay-for basis. Also, Roma parents more
often than parents from the general population say that they do not know whether preschools operate on a
pay-for basis or not. ........................................................................................................................................ 32
The attitudes and experiences regarding payment of tuition fees for preparatory preschool programmes are
significantly different from those expressed about preschool institutions: 57 per cent of respondents say that
the attendance of these programmes is not paid, 13 per cent say that it is paid, while as many as 30 per cent
of the respondents do not know whether the attendance of these programmes is paid or not. When it comes
to knowledge and attitudes about payment for these programmes, differences have been observed between
project municipalities and control municipalities, as well as among parents of preschool-aged children from
the general population and Roma parents. Specifically, respondents in control municipalities more often
than those in project municipalities believe that the preparatory preschool programme in their community is
on a pay-for basis. Furthermore, Roma parents are more likely than parents of preschool-aged children from
the general population to say that they do not know whether the attendance of the preparatory preschool
programme is paid or not. ............................................................................................................................... 33
Respondents whose children are enrolled in preschool or the preparatory preschool programme were asked
to indicate the annual amount of money they spend on these programmes. On the other hand, respondents
whose children do not attend the said programmes were asked to estimate the costs of these programmes. As
regards preschools, parents who are users of their services estimated their annual costs to be on average KM
1,332. Parents who do not use their services estimate that their annual cost is KM 1,207. With regard to the
preparatory preschool programme, parents who are beneficiaries estimate its costs at KM 647 per year,
while those whose children do not attend the programme believe that its annual cost is KM 775. Overall, the
difference between the actual and estimated values is not large, or, in other words, parents are relatively
well informed about the cost of preschool and the preschool preparatory programme, regardless of whether
their child attends preschool/programme or not. Also, no statistically significant differences in the average
amounts cited have been found between the categories of municipalities and categories of parents with
regard to parents whose children actually attend these facilities/programmes. On the other hand, when it
comes to the estimates of parents whose children are not enrolled in preschool/preparatory preschool
programme, it has been found that respondents in control municipalities are more likely to overestimate the
costs than those in project municipalities, which is consistent with previous findings where these
respondents more frequently claimed that the services of these facilities are paid. As regards preschools,
parents from the general population tend to estimate their costs higher than their Roma counterparts, while
parents of children with developmental disabilities estimate the costs of the preparatory preschool
programme higher than those from the general population. When it comes to the preparatory preschool
programme, the estimates of parents who are beneficiaries of these programmes do not differ regardless of
whether they are from project municipalities or control municipalities, nor do they differ between different
categories of parents. However, similar to preschools, the estimated values differ. Respondents in control
municipalities estimate the amounts required for attendance of the preparatory preschool programme higher
than those living in focus municipalities. Also, parents of children with developmental disabilities are more
likely to cite higher amounts than parents of preschool-aged children from the general population. ............ 33
6.6. ATTITUDES AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT CHILD DEVELOPMENT ........................................ 35
6.7. DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES – IDENTIFICATION, SUPPORT AND OPPORTUNITIES
FOR PRESCHOOL EDUCATION ................................................................................................................ 39
6.8. OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRESCHOOL EDUCATION FOR ROMA CHILDREN ......................... 43
6.9. PROPER NUTRITION AND IMMUNISATION .............................................................................. 45
7. CONCLUSIONS ........................................................................................................................................ 48
8. RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................................................................ 49
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice (KAP) Survey on Early Childhood Education and
Development in Selected Municipalities in BiH was conducted for the purposes of the project
Increasing Early Learning Opportunities for Children in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The findings of
this survey will be used in the development of the Communication Strategy for Development. The
findings will serve as a basis for identifying key messages, communication channels, and adapting
communication activities to target groups. Also, they will support the planning of activities to be
carried out by UNICEF in collaboration with the government, as part of the Dubai Cares project.
The project Increasing Early Learning Opportunities for Children in Bosnia and Herzegovina is
conducted in partnership between UNICEF, the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH, the Federal
Ministry of Education and Science of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Ministry of
Education and Culture of the Republika Srpska, with the support of the Dubai Cares Foundation.
In addition to improving preschool attendance rates, the Project aims at raising public awareness
about the importance of early childhood education for children’s development, especially for socially
excluded groups (Roma children and children with developmental disabilities).
The survey was conducted on a sample of 1,635 households with preschool-aged children in 45
project municipalities and 10 control municipalities which will serve as a control group.
Approximately 8 per cent of the sample households are parents of Roma ethnicity, and about 7 per
cent are parents of children with developmental disabilities.
Parents of preschool-aged children who participated in the survey are mostly individuals between 18
and 40 years, who have completed secondary school and are unemployed, with an average monthly
income of KM 800.
About three-quarters of those interviewed are aware of the existence of the preparatory preschool
programme, both among the general population and the population of parents whose children do not
attend the preparatory preschool programme. Parents in control municipalities and Roma parents are
less likely to be aware of the existence of the preparatory preschool programme.
The vast majority of parents see this programme more as a preparation for primary school than as an
opportunity for socialisation, play and cognitive development.
Only 18 per cent of households participating in the survey have children that are enrolled in
preschool, with the percentage being slightly lower in control municipalities as well as among Roma
parents.
The main reasons cited for not enrolling children in preschool programmes include the perception
that children are better off being looked after by a relative who is known to them than by an unknown
teacher, the great distance of households from preschool, and a general view that children are too
young.
Roma parents repeatedly cite financial obstacles, while parents of children with developmental
disabilities tend to cite health problems. Approximately 15 per cent of all parents do not want to enrol
their children in either preschools or the preschool preparatory programme.
Three-quarters of the parents interviewed in this survey whose children attend preschool are
completely satisfied with the services provided by these facilities as well as the fact that children go
through the process of socialisation because they are looked after and provided with learning
opportunities. Most parents understand that the care they provide to their children is the most
important, followed by the care given by their parents (grandmother or grandfather) and preschools.
Staff working in preschools are perceived as competent, creative and helpful, but also as not having
enough time to devote to each child individually. Roma parents often state that they do not know the
competences of preschool personnel. In general, parents whose children attend preschools tend to
have a more positive attitude towards preschool staff.
Percentage of parents who are familiar with developmental indicators in children varies between 40
and 75 per cent, and there is a statistically significant difference between male and female parents,
with mothers being better informed about child developmental milestones.
Among the more than 100 children with developmental disabilities whose parents participated in this
survey, the disabilities are most commonly associated with speech problems, Down syndrome,
autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, visual impairment, psychomotor problems and hearing impairment.
Approximately 30 per cent of parents believe that children with developmental disabilities should not
attend regular preschools. Roma parents are more likely to think that children with developmental
disabilities should attend preschool together with children from the general population. About 35 per
cent of the sample of children with developmental disabilities attend preschool.
About 16 per cent of respondents believe that Roma children should not attend regular preschools
with children from the general population. Parents of children with developmental disabilities are
more likely to find this segregation justified.
Most parents can provide their children with quality food, including fresh fruits and vegetables.
About 93 per cent of children were vaccinated in accordance with the Immunisation Calendar.
Parents of children that are not routinely vaccinated cite the child’s health condition and fear of side
effects as the main reasons. Roma parents and parents of children with developmental disabilities are
more likely to report that their children are not routinely vaccinated than their general population
counterparts.
The key recommendations arising from this survey call for an improved flow of information between
preschools, policymakers and citizens with the aim of raising awareness of the importance of
childhood and early education programmes. Furthermore, it is necessary to provide funds for the
implementation of high-quality preschool programmes for ALL children and eliminate
discriminatory attitudes (stereotypes and prejudice) and behaviours towards children with
developmental disabilities and Roma children.
2. SURVEY RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES
While early childhood development has for a long time been recognised as important for the future
functioning and health of the child, it is in recent years that scientists have begun to increasingly
emphasise its significance. Environment that provides all the necessary and stimulating conditions for
socialisation, education, health care, adequate nutrition and care is considered essential for a healthy
and successful mental, physical, social and emotional development of the child in the future.
Based on the current statistics, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) has the lowest preschool enrolment rate
in Europe and Central Asia, with only 13 per cent of children aged 4–5 years attending preschool. In
this context, Roma children and children with developmental disabilities are particularly vulnerable.
Due to the limited availability of educational services resulting from prejudice as well as the limited
awareness among parents about the importance of early learning and education, only 1.5 per cent of
Roma children in the country attend preschool education. Also, children with developmental
disabilities are isolated and marginalised in the current system when it comes to early learning and
education opportunities, with only 0.4 per cent of these children attending school.
Overall, the fact that a huge percentage of children aged 4–5 years in the country – about 85 per cent
– do not have access to preschool education poses a major problem requiring urgent action.
In an effort to expand the existing cooperation in the field of Early Childhood Education and
Development, in January 2013 UNICEF and its partners launched a new project entitled “Increasing
Early Learning Opportunities for Children in Bosnia and Herzegovina”. With the financial support of
Dubai Cares (DC), the primary objective of the project is to increase access to organised early
learning programmes and improve physical, socio-emotional and cognitive development of children
aged 4–6 years in selected municipalities in the country, with special emphasis on vulnerable groups,
such as Roma children and children with developmental disabilities. The project is envisaged to last
two years.
Three separate studies are to be conducted within the project: 1) baseline study, the purpose of which
is to take stock of the current situation in communities with respect to preschool education; 2) KAP
survey, i.e. knowledge, attitudes and practices survey of parents of preschool-aged children about
preschool education; 3) repeated KAP survey with a view to determining indicators of change. The
findings of this KAP survey will be used for the development of a Behaviour Change
Communication (BCC) Campaign and programme interventions.
3. SURVEY METHODOLOGY
In order to examine the attitudes, opinions and experiences of parents of preschool-aged children, a
quantitative research method was used. The survey employed a combination of CATI and CAPI
quantitative research methods. Figure 1 shows the general information about the survey.
Figure 1. General information about the survey
Period conducted November 2013 – January 2014
Data collection method Field research was conducted using a combination of CAPI
and CATI methods
Instruments The instruments used in this survey were developed by
UNICEF
Survey sample
Parents of preschool-aged children:
Total: N = 1,635 participants
Parents of preschool-aged children, general population:
N = 1,393 (85.2 per cent)
Parents of preschool-aged Roma children:
N = 135 (8.3 per cent)
Parents of children with developmental disabilities:
N= 107 (6.5 per cent)
Representativeness
The sample is representative at the level of project
municipalities. Participants were parents of preschool-aged
children, selected using the snowball method.
Computer-assisted personal interviewing – CAPI. Computer-assisted personal interviewing or
CAPI is one of the most advanced interviewing techniques. This method involves a procedure in which
the questionnaire is developed and uploaded to a PDA device. The questions appear on the screen in a
pre-designed and programmed order and according to a logical sequence, and the interviewer records
the respondent’s answers directly into the device. A special software programme is used to control the
course of the interview as well as the selection of the sample.
Computer-assisted telephone interviewing – CATI. Computer-assisted telephone interviewing or
CATI is the most advanced telephone surveying technique. It involves computer-assisted interviewing,
where the computers used for interviewing are connected together in a local network. A special
software programme is used to control the course of the interview as well as the selection of the sample.
The interviewer records the respondent’s answers directly into the computer.
Results. The results of this preliminary survey are shown in total, for the whole sample. In addition,
differences were found between project municipalities and control municipalities, as well as between
the parents from the general population, Roma parents, and parents of children with developmental
disabilities. The narrative section of the report discusses only the differences deemed to be statistically
significant. The graphs and tables show either percentages or arithmetic mean values, with each figure
indicating which of the two is the case.
Interviewers, coordinators and controllers. The survey was conducted by a team comprising 42 field
interviewers, 10 telephone interviewers, and 13 regional coordinators. The interviewers and
coordinators were selected based on prior experience, age, gender and regional origin. Only the
interviewers with experience in at least 10 surveys of similar scope, or with at least one year experience
working in similar projects were selected to participate in this survey. All interviewers received pre-
survey training that covered the sampling procedures, survey methodology to be used, question-by-
question analyses and role play exercises.
Control of interviewers. Fieldwork was supervised in several ways. The coordinators visited field
interviewers conducting the survey on the ground. Additionally, a back-check telephone control of the
questionnaire was carried out using a 10 per cent randomly selected sample of each interviewer’s
questionnaires, based on the phone numbers that were provided by respondents who took part in the
survey.
Data processing, report and delivery. Complete processing of the collected data was performed in
Sarajevo. Data analysis was performed using PASW Statistics 18.0 – professional software package
for statistical analysis. PASW was used for data cleaning and logical control as well as the cross-
tabulation of results.
4. DESCRIPTION OF SURVEY LOCATIONS: GEOGRAPHICAL CONTEXT
The survey covered 45 project municipalities across the country and 10 control municipalities.
In project municipalities 62.6 per cent of participants were interviewed, and somewhat more than a
third of participants (37.4 per cent) were interviewed in control municipalities. The table below (Figure
2) shows a list of project municipalities and control municipalities in which the survey was conducted.
Figure 2. Project and control municipalities, number of participants (column N) and percentage of
participants (column per cent)
N per cent
Banjaluka 117 7.2Bihać 45 2.8Bijeljina 37 2.3Brčko 84 5.1Čapljina 12 .7Cazin 55 3.4Čitluk 11 .7Gračanica 17 1.0Gradiška 9 .6Hadžići 5 .3Ilidža 30 1.8Ilijaš 7 .4Kakanj 18 1.1Konjic 13 .8Livno 35 2.1Maglaj 12 .7Mostar 60 3.7Prijedor 33 2.0Prnjavor 19 1.2Sarajevo, Centar 24 1.5Sarajevo, Novi grad 62 3.8Sarajevo, Novo Sarajevo 21 1.3Sarajevo, Stari grad 9 .6Tomislavgrad 28 1.7Trebinje 15 .9Tuzla 62 3.8Visoko 30 1.8Vitez 58 3.5Vogošća 16 1.0Zavidovići 26 1.6Živinice 37 2.3Zvornik 16 1.0
Gacko 13 .8Derventa 50 3.1Srebrenik 80 4.9Velika Kladuša 138 8.4Travnik 56 3.4Bileća 16 1.0Doboj 125 7.6Široki Brijeg 59 3.6Goražde 41 2.5Bugojno 34 2.1
Project municipalities
Control municipalities
5. SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC DATA ABOUT RESPONDENTS
Parents of preschool-aged children who participated in the survey are mostly persons between 18 and
40 years old with secondary-school qualifications. In these families, the majority of mothers are
unemployed, while fathers are primary breadwinners, usually earning a total income of up to KM 800.
In this survey 73 per cent of respondents are females and 27 per cent are males. The survey mostly
covered mothers of preschool-aged children (64 per cent), followed by fathers (23 per cent), while
others – usually grandparents – responded to other questionnaires. These families have on average one
child of preschool age.
Figure 3. Age of respondents, percentage distribution
About two-thirds of households with preschool-aged children (63 per cent) have an income of KM 800
or less.
Figure 4. Monthly household income, percentage distribution
In terms of educational level, the majority of parents of preschool-aged children surveyed have
secondary-school education. Most fathers are employed on a full time basis, while fewer than one-third
are unemployed. By contrast, the majority of mothers of preschool-aged children are unemployed.
Somewhat more than a quarter of mothers are employed full time.
Figure 5. Educational level of parents of preschool-aged children, percentage distribution
36.1
45.6
8.86.7
2.8
18-30 years old
31-40 years old 41-50 years old
51-60 years old
over 60
21.0
41.8
27.3
5.9
0.5 3.5
up to KM 300 KM 301-800
KM 801-1,600 KM 1,601-3,000
over KM 3001 No answer
Figure 6. Respondents’ employment status, percentage distribution
Slightly more than a half of families with preschool-aged children who participated in this survey live
in rural communities (51 per cent) and the rest live in urban areas (49 per cent).
As previously mentioned, the majority of respondents (87 per cent) were parents of preschool-aged
children. However, due to the fact that 13 per cent of respondents were grandparents and other persons,
it is important to note that the views expressed in this report are not necessarily those of parents of
preschool-aged children.
6. DATA ANALYSIS
The survey also included the examination of various factors that are potentially important for parents
when they are making up their mind whether to enrol their child in preschool/preparatory preschool
programme. Some of the factors analysed in this survey, which are important in the said context,
include awareness, attitudes and perceptions of preschools, the cost of preschool education, the
attitudes and knowledge of child development and its patterns, as well as factors that contribute to a
healthy and optimal development of the child.
6.1. AWARENESS AND ATTITUDES ABOUT PRESCHOOL EDUCATION FACILITIES
AND PROGRAMMES
For the purposes of the survey it was important to determine how much parents of preschool-aged
children know about preschool education. Parents’ awareness of the opportunities, services and
conditions offered by early childhood education is one of the factors affecting their decision about the
enrolment of their child in preschool and/or the preparatory preschool programme. This awareness may
include information on what a preschool preparatory programme actually is, what are its benefits, and
where early childhood education services are provided in their community.
Overall, the findings of this survey reveal that the majority of parents of preschool-aged children (76
per cent) report having heard about the preparatory preschool programme for children in the year before
starting primary school. Furthermore, analysis of the awareness of only those parents whose children
do not attend the programme shows that 73 per cent of them have heard about it. These programmes
are significantly more likely to be known to respondents in project municipalities than those in control
municipalities. Also, Roma parents are found to be less aware of these programmes than parents of
preschool-aged children from general population. Hence, it seems that parents of preschool-aged
children in control municipalities as well as Roma parents of preschool-aged children could benefit
from information on the availability of preparatory preschool programmes, so as to be able to make
informed decisions about enrolling their children in these programmes.
Figure 7. Have you heard about the preparatory preschool programme in the year before starting
primary school? Percentage distribution
The majority of parents of preschool-aged children who are familiar with the term preparatory
preschool programme define the purpose of the programme as simply preparing children for school.
However, a lot of parents perceive the preparatory preschool programme as an opportunity for the
socialisation of children, learning through play, as well as offering activities like those in kindergartens
and playgroups. However, the role of preparatory preschool programmes is actually a multi-faceted
one as they encourage cognitive development of children through educational activities, while also
contributing to the socio-emotional development through socialisation and the development of contacts
and interaction with peers and teachers, as well as the development of children’s play and psychomotor
and gross motor development through fun activities. New and better understanding of the multiple
benefits of preschool activities could motivate some parents to include their children in the
aforementioned preschool activities and give them the opportunity for better early childhood
development.
76.381.0
68.3
78.2
59.3
72.9
23.719.0
31.7
21.8
40.7
27.1
.0
20.0
40.0
60.0
80.0
100.0
All respondents
Project municipalities
Control municipalities
Parents, general
population
Roma parents
Parents of children with dev.
disabilities
Total Municipality Category
Yes No
In defining preparatory preschool programmes, parents have actually defined what they see as the
greatest value of preschool education facilities and programmes. For most parents of preschool-aged
children the greatest value of preschool education is contained in the opportunities for socialisation (49
per cent) and in preparation for school (39 per cent). The importance of acquiring knowledge necessary
for later formal schooling is cited significantly more often by Roma parents (53 per cent) than by
parents of preschool-aged children from general population (37 per cent).
Figure 8. Preparatory preschool programme, definition by parents of preschool-aged children.
Percentage distribution
The majority of parents of preschool-aged children are aware of the availability of preparatory
preschool programmes for children in the year before starting primary school. However, many parents
do not realise the overall and multiple benefits of these programmes for early childhood development,
which include positive effects not only on the cognitive or social, but also the emotional and
psychomotor development of the child.
1.6
1.7
2.2
3.7
14.4
15.3
16.7
44.4
.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.0
Burden for children and parents
Positive activities for children and parents
Mandatory preparation for school
Don’t know the details
Learning basic things through play
Activities like those in kindergartens or playgroups
Socialisation and adaptation of preschool-aged children to school
Preparation for school
6.2. PRACTICE AND BARRIERS TO PRESCHOOL EDUCATION
As mentioned in the introductory section of this report, the percentage of preschool-aged children who
actually attend preschool in BiH remains low. One of the aims of this survey was to look at the factors
that decrease the likelihood that the child will be given the opportunity to participate in preschool
activities, i.e. to examine the barriers to preschool education of children in the country.
The findings of this survey confirm the low preschool attendance rate as identified in the official
statistics. According to the survey findings, 82 per cent of preschool-aged children do not attend
preschool. Only 18 per cent of children are enrolled in kindergartens and nursery schools, and 19 per
cent of children attend preparatory preschool programmes.
Preschool education of children seems to be less common in control municipalities than in project
municipalities, as well as for Roma children than for other children. Preschool-aged children living in
control municipalities are less likely to be enrolled in preschools or preschool preparatory programmes
than children whose families live in project municipalities. Also, Roma children are less likely to be
enrolled in preschool than their coevals from the general population, but also compared to children
with developmental disabilities. In terms of preparatory preschool programmes, there are no
statistically significant differences between Roma children and their counterparts from the other two
groups.
Figure 9. Attendance rate for preschool and for preparatory preschool programme. Percentage
distribution
The reasons cited for non-enrolment are varied. The most oft-cited reasons include that children are
better-off being looked after by a person close to them than by unfamiliar preschool staff, that
preschools are too far away from where the families live (which is a greater problem in control
municipalities than in project municipalities), and that children are too young to be left to the care of
such facilities. All these are almost equally important reasons for non-enrolment as the fact that the
child is cared for by the people close to him/her. Financial difficulties are more often cited by Roma
families as an obstacle to enrolling their children in preschools, while health reasons are more likely to
pose barriers to parents of children with developmental disabilities than those of healthy children.
Figure 10. Why is your child not enrolled in preschool? Percentage distribution
Total
All respondents
Project municipalities
Control municipalities
Parents, general
population
Roma parents
Parents of children with
developmentaldisabilities
Preschool 17.6 21.2 11.6 17.8 7.4 28.0
Preparatory preschool programme
18.5 23.3 10.5 17.9 23.0 19.6
Municipality Category
Somewhat more than a quarter of parents (27 per cent) of preschool-aged children who are not currently
attending preschool intend to enrol their children in preschool education facilities. Their main motives
include socialisation of children (31 per cent) and preparation for school (26 per cent), but also the
attitude that a child in preschool will acquire work habits and will handle separation from parents more
easily as a result of greater independence (19 per cent).
Still, the majority of parents do not intend to enrol their children in preschool (43 per cent), while
almost one in three parents (30 per cent) have not yet decided whether to enrol their child. Parents from
control municipalities are significantly more likely than those in project municipalities to report that
they intend to enrol their children in preschool. Also, more Roma parents and parents of children with
developmental disabilities than their counterparts from the general population say that they do not
intend to enrol their children in preschool. When asked about the reasons, they mostly cite lack of
finance, long distance, as well as the availability of other persons to care for the child (e.g. grandma,
grandpa). Given that the majority of families of preschool-aged children have a monthly income of
KM 800 or less, it is to be expected that parents have to prioritise their expenditures. In cases where
one parent is out of work or where grandparents are available to look after the child, parents are not
likely to attach high priority to preschool education of their children and will rather divert money to
meeting basic needs.
.7
1.0
1.5
2.7
4.7
14.1
14.9
18.9
19.2
22.4
.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.0
Parents are not informed about
opportunities
The child is not interested or doesn’t want to go
Health problems
Other
Intend to enrol the child/the child already attends preparatory preschool programme
Don’t know/No answer
Financial problems
It’s too early, the child is still very young
Distance
There is no need, the child is looked afterby unemployed parent or other relatives
Figure 11. Do you plan to enrol your preschool-aged children in preschool? Percentage distribution
Parents of preschool-aged children are much more willing to enrol their children in the preparatory
preschool programme than in preschool. In fact, nearly two-thirds of parents whose preschool-aged
children do not attend the preparatory preschool programme report that they intend to enrol their
children in the programme (65 per cent). Acquirement of knowledge needed for school (44 per cent)
and socialisation and adaptation (22 per cent) are the main motives cited by parents for enrolling their
children in the preparatory preschool programme. Other reasons include the fact that it is a legal
requirement (14 per cent), and cultivation of work habits and development of self-reliance in the child
(12 per cent). Given that it was previously determined that the acquirement of knowledge needed for
school, socialisation and cultivation of work habits were not sufficiently motivating factors for the
enrolment of children and that most children did not attend preschools, it can be reasonably argued that
the mandatory nature of the preparatory preschool programme is an important incentive for parents to
enrol children in these programmes more often than preschool facilities such as kindergartens.
Despite the preparatory preschool programme being mandatory, many parents report that their children
will not attend that programme (15 per cent), and many are still considering this option (20 per cent).
Respondents from control municipalities are significantly more likely than their counterparts from
project municipalities to report that they do not intend to enrol their children in the preparatory
preschool programme. Roma parents and parents of children with developmental disabilities are also
significantly more likely to state that they do not intend to enrol their children in this programme,
compared to parents of preschool-aged children from the general population. The reasons why some
parents do not feel the need to enrol their children in these programmes vary, mainly coming down to
the long distance of preschools (25 per cent), as well as the attitude that there is no need for any
preparatory preschool education (often because the child is already attending kindergarten), as reported
by 14 per cent of parents. Many parents cite financial difficulties as the main factor preventing them
from making it possible for their children to attend this type of preschool education (20 per cent), Roma
parents more often so than their other counterparts. Furthermore, children’s health problems and the
fact that these programmes are not adapted to children’s developmental levels are the biggest obstacle
for children with developmental disabilities as potential users of preparatory preschool programmes.
Figure 12. Do you plan to enrol your children in the preparatory preschool programme in the year before starting primary school [if they are not already enrolled]? – Percentage distribution
Location of the preschool (i.e. its distance from the family’s home) and the availability of transport
certainly affect parents’ decision as to whether their child will attend preschool. In this regard, the
survey findings reveal that about three out of four parents (77 per cent) whose children do not attend
the preparatory preschool programme know where their child can attend this programme in the year
before starting primary school. Respondents from project municipalities, as compared to their
counterparts in control municipalities, are more likely to report knowing where it is possible to attend
this programme. Conversely, parents of children with developmental disabilities, as compared to their
general population counterparts, are significantly more likely to report not knowing where their
children can attend these programmes, by that probably referring to the preparatory preschool
programmes tailored to the needs of their children, believing that their children cannot go to
kindergarten with other children.
Figure 13. Do you know where your child can attend the preparatory preschool programme in the year before starting primary school in your community? – Percentage distribution
It seems that in many cases preschool is quite distant from the dwelling place of families with
preschool-aged children. According to parents’ estimates, preschools are on average three kilometres
away from their home. More than half of all respondents (56 per cent) estimate that the child
accompanied by a parent could walk to preschool. However, according to parents, children in control
municipalities are less likely to be able to walk to preschool than their counterparts in project
municipalities. As noted above, distance and lack of transportation pose a real obstacle for some
families to ensure preschool education opportunities for their children. Thus, walking to preschool is a
less feasible option for children with developmental disabilities than other children.
Figure 14. Can the child walk to the preschool (accompanied by a parent)? – Percentage distribution
The findings of this survey confirm the low preschool attendance rate as identified in the official
statistics. However, slightly more than a quarter of parents intend to enrol their children in preschool.
The main barrier to preschool education of children in BiH is the availability of alternative modes of
care for children which are deemed more desirable in BiH society – for example, care by a family
member or a close person – given the high unemployment of people in the country. Distance of
preschool from the family’s dwelling place, perception that the child is too young to be separated from
family, financial difficulties, and health problems of children are some of the other obstacles cited as
important by some families of preschool-aged children.
6.3. SATISFACTION WITH PRESCHOOLS
Positive experiences of parents whose children attend preschool are important in promoting the work
of these facilities, and thus increasing the number of children enrolled. Satisfied parents-users of
preschool services, who understand the purpose and benefits of preschool education for their child, are
the best source of references for preschools to use in order to attract new customers.
The views of parents whose children attend preschool on the services provided by preschool education
facilities are generally positive. Specifically, parents whose children attend preschool usually report
being completely or somewhat satisfied (75 per cent and 23 per cent, respectively) with the services
provided by these facilities. Many parents support this view saying that the services provided by
preschools are generally good (24 per cent), while others cite specific arguments in support of their
positive attitudes, such as positive professional and personal characteristics of staff (18 per cent), the
perception that their child has advanced and learned a lot as a result of attending preschool (17 per
cent), and the fact that children socialise and receive education in these facilities (15 per cent). What
seems to be the most important for these parents is that their children are “in good hands” and that they
advance, but they also find it important that they can socialise with their peers.
Figure 15. How satisfied are you with the services offered in preschools? – Percentage distribution
Overall, the majority of parents (80 per cent) report that they would recommend to other parents to
enrol their children in preschool, with parents of children attending preschool (95 per cent) being more
likely to do so than those whose children do not attend preschool (77 per cent). The most oft-cited
reasons for these positive attitudes include recognising the importance of early socialisation of the child
(56 per cent) and a general attitude that attending preschool is good for children (25 per cent). Some of
the reasons why they would not recommend enrolment in preschools include the view that it is actually
parents themselves who should prepare their children for school (23 per cent), that work with children
in preschools is poorly organised (25 per cent), and that preschool services are expensive (14 per cent).
Interestingly, all of these reasons are cited by parents whose children do not attend preschool.
Respondents in control municipalities, as compared to those in project municipalities, are significantly
more likely to state that they would encourage others to enrol their children in preschool. Also, parents
of preschool-aged children from the general population are more likely to make this recommendation
than their Roma counterparts.
Figure 16: Would you encourage other parents to enrol their children in preschool? – Percentage
distribution
According to parents, the key services that preschool children receive in preschools are those related
to socialisation (socialising, playing, etc.), which is highlighted as important by 42 per cent of parents,
followed by learning and preparing for school (27 per cent). Importance is also attached to the fact that
children are safe in these facilities (10 per cent) as well as that they develop work habits and learn to
be independent (9 per cent). On the other hand, the most important benefit for parents is the help they
receive in child rearing and preparing their children for school (36 per cent), as well as the fact that
their children are being looked after so that they have some time for themselves (31 per cent). The
views of parents whose children attend and those whose children do not attend preschools on the
services provided to children and their parents are similar, with the only exception being that the former
(38 per cent) are significantly more likely than the latter (29 per cent) to place emphasis on child care
and time off for parents.
Although they recognise the benefits of preschool education for both the child and themselves, parents
of preschool-aged children still believe that they themselves play the most important role and that they
have the best impact on the development of their children. The most important role is played by parents,
followed by grandmothers, preschools, grandparents, and lastly babysitters. According to respondents,
parents are ranked first because they are naturally the most important, they have the biggest impact,
and they know what is best for their children, but also because they are most concerned about their
children, and they give them more attention, time and love than anyone else. Parents perceive
babysitters as having the least important role, whom they say they do not trust to know how to raise
children, and to properly care about them. The importance of the role of parents in child development
as well as their motivation to contribute to their child’s development are undisputed. However, it is
important to consider their limitations, which they are often not aware of, such as lack of professional
knowledge and the inevitable subjectivity, as well as the necessity to expose children to the
environment outside their “safe haven” with the aim of encouraging social and emotional maturation,
and adaptation in general.
Figure 17. Which services do you think children receive in preschools? – Percentage distribution
Figure 18. What services do you think are provided to parents of children attending preschool? –
Percentage distribution
Most parents whose children attend preschool are satisfied with the services provided by these facilities
because their children are “in safe hands”, advance and socialise with their peers. Most parents
encourage enrolment of children in preschools, mainly because of the socialisation effects of these
facilities. However, some believe that parents should take upon themselves to prepare their children
for school, that the work in preschools is poorly organised, and that their services are too expensive.
Despite recognising the importance and benefits of preschools, parents still see themselves as having
the most important influence on their child’s development.
.5
.5
.9
2.0
7.8
9.4
9.7
27.1
42.2
.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.0
Proper development
Other
Nothing special
Everything they need
Don’t know/no answer
Education, acquirement ofuseful habits
Safety, day care, food, sleep
Learning, preparation for school
Play, socialisation
.8
6.9
9.3
16.8
30.7
35.5
.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.0
Additional costs and obligations
Nothing special
Socialisation and adaptation of children
Don’t know
Child care, free time for leisure
and/or work
Help in education and preparationof children for school
6.4. ATTITUDES ABOUT PRESCHOOLS
Attitudes about preschool staff as well as those about conditions in preschools surely influence the
decision on whether to enrol children in these facilities. Every parent surely wants his or her child to
be looked after and cared for by professional, dedicated and caring staff, in clean, safe and well-
equipped facilities. However, it is important to note that positive attitudes about preschools are not
always a decisive factor when deciding on whether to enrol children in preschool. In many cases,
obstacles such as financial difficulties or large distance are certain to outweigh the benefits, while in
other cases such obstacles will be irrelevant due to the lack of alternative child care options.
Parents’ attitudes towards personnel working in preschools were measured on a scale of attitudes which
consists of 10 items, that is measures 10 different aspects of the characteristics of preschool staff.
Attitudes were measured on a scale of 1 to 3, where 1 means “does not apply to them at all”, and 3
means “fully applies to them”. Analyses have shown that the reliability of the scale is satisfactory and
that all items measure the same construct – satisfaction with preschool staff.
Most parents have a clearly formed opinion about staff working in preschools, mostly positive. More
than half of the respondents see preschool staff as professional, competent, creative, and helpful. The
most frequently cited shortcoming of preschool teachers is that they do not devote enough time to each
child individually. However, in most cases this is not the fault of teachers themselves but rather the
preschool management who do not employ enough teachers to enable better care for each child.
However, it is uncertain whether parents are aware of it, or if it plays any role in their decision-making
about enrolling their child in preschool.
Figure 19: How professional do you think preschool teachers are? – Percentage distribution
Does not apply to
them at all
Partly applies to
them
Fully applies to them
Don’t know
Very competent
3.7 24.6 60.1 11.6Have sufficient knowledge about children’s abilities
3.2 27.0 57.9 11.9I have confidence in them 3.2 24.9 60.1 11.9They know what’s best for children of that age
4.1 23.9 60.2 11.8They can be aggressive towards children
53.3 16.1 13.1 17.4They respect children’s diversity
7.4 27.3 48.0 17.4They don’t devote enough attention to each child individually
31.2 25.6 25.6 17.6They are creative in their educational work
2.7 24.8 57.7 14.8They enable acquirement of desirable behaviours
3.2 25.4 54.8 16.6They are helpful in their interactions with parents
2.3 20.3 61.9 15.5
As regards attitudes about preschool staff, statistically significant differences have been found between
project municipalities and control municipalities. Firstly, respondents from project municipalities are
significantly more likely than their counterparts from control municipalities to report on the negative
characteristics of preschool staff1. On the other hand, respondents from control municipalities are
significantly more likely to report that this staff is very professional, that they know what is best for
children of that age, that they respect children’s diversity, but also that they do not devote enough
attention to each child (response “Fully applies to them” for item “They do not devote enough attention
to each child”), while they are significantly less likely than their counterparts in project municipalities
to state that preschool staff are aggressive towards children (i.e. they are more likely to choose answer
“Does not apply to them” for the item that measures aggression).
Attitudes about preschool staff also vary among different groups of parents of preschool-aged children.
Firstly, Roma parents are significantly more likely than other parents to say they do not know the
characteristics of staff working in preschool institutions. This may be accounted for by the fact, as
mentioned earlier, that Roma children are less likely to go to preschool compared to other children.
Secondly, parents from the general population and parents of children with developmental disabilities
are less likely to say the staff is aggressive towards children, and that they do not devote enough
attention to each child, as compared to Roma parents. Thirdly, parents of children with developmental
disabilities are significantly more likely than other parents to point out that preschool staff know what
is best for the children of that age as well as that they respect children’s diversity, probably based on
their personal experience.
1 Specifically, respondents in project municipalities are significantly more likely than respondents in control municipalities
to use the answer “does not apply to preschool staff at all” for all items, except for the item “They can be aggressive
towards children”, which they are more likely to mention as fully applying to members of preschool staff.
Figure 20. How professional do you think preschool teachers are? – Comparison between the
categories of municipalities and categories of parents of preschool-aged children, Percentage
distribution
Attitudes about preschool staff displayed by parents whose children are enrolled in preschool differ
from those of parents whose children do not go to preschool. The parents whose children attend
preschool have significantly more positive attitudes about preschool staff than other parents. These
parents, as compared to those whose children do not attend preschool, are more confident that preschool
staff have sufficient knowledge of children’s abilities and know what is best for children of that age,
that they respect the child’s diversity, that they are creative in their work with children, that they help
parents in child rearing and education, that they are helpful with parents, and these parents are more
likely to have confidence in preschool staff. In contrast, parents whose children attend preschool are
less likely than other parents to display the attitude that preschool staff do not devote enough attention
to each child. On the other hand, parents whose children do not go to preschool are more likely to
choose the answer “partly applies to preschool staff” for all items, as compared to parents who are
users of preschool services.
Figure 21. How professional do you think preschool teachers are? – Comparison between parents
whose children attend preschool and parents whose children do not attend preschool, Percentage
distribution
Attitudes about preschools were measured in a similar way as those about preschool staff, using a scale
which consists of 7 items. Respondents were asked to rate each item on a scale of three levels, where
Yes N
Does not apply to them at all 5.0 3.9Partly applies to them 22.6 29.1Fully applies to them 72.4 66.9Does not apply to them at all
5.0 3.3Partly applies to them
22.9 32.5Fully applies to them
72.0 64.2
Does not apply to them at all
5.0 3.3Partly applies to them
13.6 31.8Fully applies to them
81.4 65.0
Does not apply to them at all
5.3 4.5Partly applies to them
20.6 28.6Fully applies to them
74.0 66.9
Does not apply to them at all
72.2 62.6Partly applies to them
15.8 20.5Fully applies to them
12.1 16.9Does not apply to them at all
9.6 8.8Partly applies to them
19.6 36.4Fully applies to them
70.8 54.8
Does not apply to them at all
48.9 35.0
Partly applies to them
24.3 32.9Fully applies to them
26.8 32.1Does not apply to them at all
4.3 2.9Partly applies to them
19.4 31.5Fully applies to them
76.3 65.6
Does not apply to them at all
4.4 3.7Partly applies to them
18.9 33.4Fully applies to them
76.7 62.9
Does not apply to them at all
3.2 2.6Partly applies to them
14.7 26.4Fully applies to them
82.1 71.0
They can be aggressive towardschildren
They respect children’s diversity
They don’t devote enough attention to each child individually
They are creative in theireducational work
They enable acquirement ofdesirable behaviours
They are helpful in their interactionswith parents
Are there in your household children who
attend preschool?
Very competent
Have sufficient knowledge about children’s abilities
I have confidence in them
They know what’s best for childrenof that age
1 means “Does not apply to preschool at all”, and 3 means “Fully applies to preschool”. Analyses have
shown that the reliability of the scale is satisfactory and that all items measure the same construct –
satisfaction with preschools.
In describing preschool facilities, the highest percentage of respondents think that the hygienic
conditions in these facilities are satisfactory, that these facilities are well equipped with educational
materials that promotes child development, that they allow free movement of children, that they
provide a safe place for the care and education of children, that they have safe playgrounds, and that
they have clear rules about who can come and pick up the child from preschool. However, many parents
are not sure about the condition of the abovementioned aspects of preschools, in particular as regards
the quality of food, rules on who can pick up the child, and free movement of children within preschool
facilities, some of which may have a decisive role in deciding on whether to enrol the child in preschool.
Figure 22: Please rate the current state of preschool facilities based on what you know? – Percentage
distribution
Does not apply to
preschoolat all
Partly applies to preschool
Fully applies to preschool
I don’t know
Hygiene in preschools is very high
5.9 30.9 49.2 13.9Preschools offer quality food to children
14.9 30.9 35.3 18.8
Preschools are equipped with materials that promote child developmentPreschools allow free movement of children in the preschool facility
6.1 30.6 48.1 15.2
5.3 27.3 50.4 16.9
Preschools are a safe place for care and education of children
3.7 22.6 59.0 14.6Preschools have safe playgrounds for children
6.5 24.0 54.2 15.4Preschools have clear rules about who can pick up the child
5.3 19.7 56.6 18.3
Statistically significant differences have been found between project municipalities and control
municipalities as regards attitudes about preschools. Specifically, respondents in project municipalities
much more frequently than those in control municipalities believe that preschools do not offer quality
food, are not equipped with special materials that promote child development, do not allow free
movement of children, are not a safe place for care and education, do not have a safe playground for
children, and do not have clear rules about who can pick up the child.
As was the case with the characteristics of preschool staff, Roma parents significantly more often than
other parents say that they do not know the characteristics of preschools.
Figure 23. Please rate the current state of preschool facilities based on what you know? –
Comparison between the categories of municipalities and categories of parents of preschool-aged
children, Percentage distribution
Parents whose children are enrolled in preschool have significantly more positive opinion on all the
characteristics of preschool facilities than those whose children do not go to preschool. Specifically,
parents whose children attend preschool are significantly more likely to say that all items fully apply
to preschool facilities, as compared to their counterparts whose children do not go to preschool (see
table below).
Figure 24. Please rate the current state of preschool facilities based on what you know? –
Comparison between the attitudes of parents whose children attend preschool and attitudes of parents
whose children do not attend preschool, Percentage distribution
Yes No
Does not apply to preschoolat all
6.1 7.1
Partly applies to preschool
29.0 37.7
Fully applies to preschool
64.9 55.2
Does not apply to preschoolat all
20.6 17.8
Partly applies to preschool
22.4 42.3
Fully applies to preschool
57.0 39.9
Does not apply to preschoolat all
7.1 7.2
Partly applies to preschol
22.9 39.4
Fully applies to preschool
70.0 53.3
Does not apply to preschoolat all
8.2 5.9
Partly applies to preschool
20.7 36.1
Fully applies to preschool
71.1 58.0
Does not apply to preschoolat all
6.0 3.9
Partly applies to preschool
14.2 29.6
Fully applies to preschool
79.8 66.4
Does not apply to preschoolat all
9.3 7.3
Partly applies to preschool
17.4 31.1
Fully applies to preschool
73.3 61.7
Does not apply to preschoolat all
8.3 6.0
Partly applies to preschool
14.1 26.7
Fully applies to preschool
77.6 67.2
Preschools are a safe placefor care and education of children
Preschools have safe playgrounds for children
Preschools have clear rulesabout who can pick up the child
Are there in your household children who
attend preschool?
Hygiene in preschoolsis very high
Preschools offer quality food to children
Preschools are equipped with materials that promotechild development
Preschools allow free movement of children in the preschool facility
Parent-teacher conferences are the main mode of interaction between parents and preschool staff, and
are considered to be very important for the exchange of information and opinions between teachers
and parents, as well as coordination of educational actions by parents and teachers. Parents whose
children are enrolled in preschool report that parent-teacher conferences are held in preschools, on
average twice a year, although the number of conferences varies greatly from facility to facility – some
preschools hold a conference every month, while others do not hold any at all. Approximately two-
thirds of parents (67 per cent) regularly attend parent-teacher conferences. However, a third of parents
(33 per cent) whose children attend preschool report not attending most of these meetings, or even
never going to them. The majority of parents (82 per cent) who attended parent-teacher conferences
report being very satisfied with the information shared at these meetings, while only 3 per cent express
dissatisfaction, and the rest state that they are neither satisfied nor dissatisfied with the level of
information shared at parent-teacher conferences. In any case, satisfaction with parent-teacher
conferences and satisfaction in general depends on expectations. Thus, the level of parents’ satisfaction
identified in the survey does not necessarily mean high quality of parent-teacher conferences. The role
of these conferences is very important yet often overlooked in BiH, as they are often reduced to a mere
one-way reporting on child’s deportment and grades, where the role of parents is often passive, without
real cooperation with the teacher.
Figure 25: How often do you attend parent-teacher conferences at preschool? – Percentage
distribution
The attitudes of parents of preschool-aged children about preschool staff and conditions in preschool
facilities are generally positive. These attitudes are somewhat more negative in project municipalities
and among Roma parents.
6.5. COST OF PRESCHOOL PROGRAMMES
When it comes to enrolling children in preschool, one of the most important factors, if not the single
most important factor in the country is the price of preschool services. More than half of respondents
(59 per cent) say that in their community preschools operate on a pay-for basis (i.e. are funded by
preschool tuition fees paid by parents), 20 per cent say that they do not operate on a pay-for basis,
while 21 per cent of parents are not sure. Furthermore, respondents in control municipalities more
frequently than those in project municipalities say that the attendance of preschool is on a pay-for basis.
Also, Roma parents more often than parents from the general population say that they do not know
whether preschools operate on a pay-for basis or not.
Figure 26. Do preschools in your community operate on a pay-for basis? – Percentage distribution
Figure 27. Does preparatory preschool programme in preschools in your community operate on a pay-for basis? – Percentage distribution
The attitudes and experiences regarding payment of tuition fees for preparatory preschool programmes
are significantly different from those expressed about preschool institutions: 57 per cent of respondents
say that the attendance of these programmes is not paid, 13 per cent say that it is paid, while as many
as 30 per cent of the respondents do not know whether the attendance of these programmes is paid or
not. When it comes to knowledge and attitudes about payment for these programmes, differences have
been observed between project municipalities and control municipalities, as well as among parents of
preschool-aged children from the general population and Roma parents. Specifically, respondents in
control municipalities more often than those in project municipalities believe that the preparatory
preschool programme in their community is on a pay-for basis. Furthermore, Roma parents are more
likely than parents of preschool-aged children from the general population to say that they do not know
whether the attendance of the preparatory preschool programme is paid or not.
Respondents whose children are enrolled in preschool or the preparatory preschool programme were
asked to indicate the annual amount of money they spend on these programmes. On the other hand,
respondents whose children do not attend the said programmes were asked to estimate the costs of
these programmes. As regards preschools, parents who are users of their services estimated their annual
costs to be on average KM 1,332. Parents who do not use their services estimate that their annual cost
is KM 1,207. With regard to the preparatory preschool programme, parents who are beneficiaries
estimate its costs at KM 647 per year, while those whose children do not attend the programme believe
that its annual cost is KM 775. Overall, the difference between the actual and estimated values is not
large, or, in other words, parents are relatively well informed about the cost of preschool and the
preschool preparatory programme, regardless of whether their child attends preschool/programme or
not. Also, no statistically significant differences in the average amounts cited have been found between
the categories of municipalities and categories of parents with regard to parents whose children actually
attend these facilities/programmes. On the other hand, when it comes to the estimates of parents whose
children are not enrolled in preschool/preparatory preschool programme, it has been found that
respondents in control municipalities are more likely to overestimate the costs than those in project
municipalities, which is consistent with previous findings where these respondents more frequently
claimed that the services of these facilities are paid. As regards preschools, parents from the general
population tend to estimate their costs higher than their Roma counterparts, while parents of children
with developmental disabilities estimate the costs of the preparatory preschool programme higher than
those from the general population. When it comes to the preparatory preschool programme, the
estimates of parents who are beneficiaries of these programmes do not differ regardless of whether
they are from project municipalities or control municipalities, nor do they differ between different
categories of parents. However, similar to preschools, the estimated values differ. Respondents in
control municipalities estimate the amounts required for attendance of the preparatory preschool
programme higher than those living in focus municipalities. Also, parents of children with
developmental disabilities are more likely to cite higher amounts than parents of preschool-aged
children from the general population.
Figure 28: Can you estimate the type and amount of costs associated with attending preschool? –
Arithmetic means of the amounts in Convertible Marks (KM)
According to parents of preschool-aged children, preschools in most places in BiH operate on a pay-
for basis, and the attendance of preparatory preschool programmes is generally not paid. However, a
relatively high percentage of parents are not aware whether the attendance of preschools or
preparatory programmes in their community is paid or not. Parents of preschool-aged children are
relatively well informed about the costs associated with attending preschool and the preparatory
preschool programme, regardless of whether their children attend these facilities/programmes or not.
However, cost estimates differ between project municipalities and control municipalities, and between
different categories of parents of preschool-aged children.
All
respondents
Project
municipa-
lities
Control
municipa-
lities
Parents,
general
population
Roma
parents
Parents of
children
with special
needs
Cost of preschool
1332 1357 1257 1338 1763 1141
Estimated cost of preschool
1207 987 1535 1248 885 1121
Cost of preparatory
preschool programme
647 635 696 631 655 797
Estimated cost of preparatory
preschool programme
775 630 917 748 835 1111
M (KM)
6.6. ATTITUDES AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT CHILD DEVELOPMENT
When it comes to child development, one of the central dilemmas and the main subject of debate among
scientists throughout history has been the question of nature or nurture. Today we know that both nature
and nurture play a major role in child development, and that they act in interaction, as well as that self-
activity of an individual constitutes an important determinant of his/her development. In any case, it
has been a scientifically established fact that nurture, which includes education, plays an important role
in child development, where parents’ role is indisputable. In addition to parents, preschools are an
environment that has a significant impact on the child through educational activities.
In general, attitudes are the basis of every decision-making, including for decisions about preschool
education of children. In the context of the decision on whether to send a child to preschool, some of
the more important attitudes may include attitudes and ideas about child development and its patterns.
In that regard, this survey thought it important to examine parents’ attitudes about the importance of
specific elements of child development which they consider to be the most subject to effects of
preschool education, as well parents’ knowledge of developmental milestones. Knowledge and
information about child development can shape decisions about whether the child will be enrolled in a
particular early education programme or not. Early education programmes are important environmental
influences that, in interaction with child’s biological dispositions, affect his/her development.
Stimulation and encouragement, both by parents and in preschool, play an extremely important role
for the development of intelligence. Of all the various elements of child development, parents believe
that preschool education has the greatest influence on the development of intelligence, but also on
physical health, and learning to behave non-aggressively. Parents of preschool-aged children from the
general population attach much greater importance to socialisation than those of preschool-aged
children with developmental disabilities. These differences are not surprising given the fact that the
majority of children with developmental disabilities are not well accepted by other children, as a result
of which positive socialisation effects of preschools often do not come into play for them.
Figure 29: Rank by importance the elements of child development that you believe preschool education has the most influence on? – Arithmetic means of the ranks
(A lower ranking indicates greater impact of preschool education on the development of a given
element!)
By three months a baby is expected to coo, constantly put its hands in its mouth, and smile the first
smile. At seven months old a child responds to being called by his/her name, recognises emotions by
tone of voice, fully develops colour vision, and transfers objects from hand to hand. One-year-olds are
expected to crawl forward, cry when separated from parents, know how to find objects hidden under
two or three blankets, suck thumb, move independently from a lying to a sitting position, pronounce
syllables “dada” and “mama”, and walk holding onto furniture. Two-year-olds start to engage in
pretend play, walk and run independently, are defiant, use 2-4 word sentences, and move up and down
the stairs holding onto something for support. A three-year old child can ride a tricycle, sort objects by
shape and colour, and openly express emotions. Four-year-olds cooperate with other children, know
how to use scissors, and move up and down the stairs without support. Finally, five-year-olds can dress
themselves and use a spoon and fork, and sometimes a knife. In order to adequately stimulate their
child’s development, parents should be familiar with the developmental milestones, such as those
described above.
Knowledge of the developmental stages, or developmental milestones, was measured using 26 items,
each describing a different developmental milestone. For each milestone, parents were asked to guess
whether a child is expected to reach it at 0-6 months, 6-12 months, 12-24 months or 3-6 years old.
Developmental milestones used in this survey represent a satisfactory sample of developmental
milestones that children are supposed to achieve in preschool period.
Assessment of the respondents’ knowledge of developmental milestones has shown that a relatively
high percentage of respondents are well informed about the developmental stages of children (see cells
marked in green in the table below!). Most parents know at what age a child can roll from stomach to
back, raise his/her head, begin to crawl, pronounce the first words, sit alone, name images in a picture
book, use a spoon, speak in syllables, identify body parts, turn pages, distinguish reality from fiction,
use future tense, and use the toilet alone. However, a relatively high percentage of respondents make
wrong assumptions about the age at which children can achieve the aforementioned and other
developmental milestones (see cells marked in red: cells marked in dark red where more than 20 per
cent of the respondents answered wrong, and cells marked in light red where 10-19 per cent of the
respondents answered wrong). The biggest unknown for parents seems to be the age when a child
Total
All respondents
Project municipalities
Control municipalities
Parents, general
population
Roma parents
Parents of children with
special needs
Intelligence 3.48 3.44 3.53 3.49 3.08 3.77Physical health 4.01 3.97 4.09 4.02 3.71 4.27Non-aggressive behaviour 4.63 4.65 4.61 4.68 4.37 4.42Expressing oneself clearly 4.70 4.72 4.67 4.68 5.01 4.46Socialisation 4.74 4.71 4.81 4.78 4.81 4.21Acceptance of oneself 4.78 4.76 4.82 4.74 5.01 5.07Human rights 4.80 4.87 4.67 4.79 4.81 4.84Communication 4.87 4.90 4.83 4.83 5.21 4.95
Municipality Category
M
begins to imitate sounds, when it knows at least two words, when it can say its name and gender, when
it begins to show preference for playing with other children over playing alone, when it understands
pronouns like “mine” and “his”, and when it can make simple sentences – more than half of the parents
show incomplete understanding of these milestones. Also, between a quarter and half of the parents do
not have adequate information on when a child can roll from stomach to back, sit alone, stand on one
leg for at least two seconds, track moving objects with his/her eyes, understand concepts such as money
and food, name images in a picture book, say first words, raise his/her head, draw a person with two to
four body parts, name some colours and numbers, and piece together a puzzle with several pieces.
Figure 30: Please specify at what age, in your opinion, can a child be expected to perform each of the tasks that we will read out to you...? – Percentage distribution
Certain differences were found between male and female respondents in terms of developmental tasks
and age when children are able to perform them. Thus, female respondents tend to show significantly
better knowledge of the age range during which a child can roll from stomach to back (73 per cent
versus 67 per cent male), track moving objects with their eyes (42 per cent versus 36 per cent male),
use a spoon (62 per cent versus 55 per cent male), identify body parts (62 per cent vs. 55 per cent male),
and sit alone (64 per cent versus 54 per cent male).
Overall, a relatively high percentage of respondents would benefit from further training in
developmental psychology and developmental patterns, which could result in parents more actively
stimulating and motivating children to achieve specific developmental milestones and to advance
faster, but it would also contribute to early identification and diagnosis of developmental disorders,
thus enabling their timely treatment. These findings also show that parents often expect too much of
children (cases where the red cell is to the left from the green), which is why a child may feel
incompetent or inferior, and as such could be discouraged in the development and advancement.
According to these findings, it is necessary to further work on informing, educating and raising
0-6 months6-12
months12-24
months3-6 years
Roll from stomach to back 71.5 25.9 1.9 .7Start to crawl 17.7 79.1 2.9 .2Can stand on one leg for at least two minutes 2.8 32.0 50.0 15.2Track a moving object with his/her eyes 40.3 40.8 15.2 3.7Understand concepts such as food and money 1.5 7.8 42.5 48.2Can say his/her name and gender 1.0 7.8 63.5 27.6Walk 1.2 46.9 4.9 4.0Prefer playing with other children over playing alone .9 14.7 53.0 31.4Distinguish reality from fiction 1.1 2.8 21.1 75.0Name images in picture books .6 5.6 58.3 35.5Say first words 2.4 67.8 26.9 3.0Understand “mine”, “his”, “her” 2.4 10.5 51.7 35.5Raise his/her head 64.1 26.0 4.9 5.0Draw a person with 2-4 body parts 1.5 3.7 34.1 60.7Use future tense 1.0 2.3 17.1 79.6Use fork 1.3 10.2 59,6 28.9Speak in syllables .7 21.7 55.2 22.4Make simple sentences .5 5.1 59.1 35.3Name some colours and numbers .4 2.9 45.2 51.5Pieces together a puzzle with 2-4 pieces .4 4.3 44.2 51.2Know at least two words 1.3 57.7 35.8 5.2Identify body parts .4 19.6 60.2 19.8Imitate sounds 1.0 22.1 60.4 16.5Turn pages .4 15.5 63.5 20.6Use the toilet alone .5 1.5 19.7 78.3Sit alone 3.8 61.6 25.5 9.1
per cent
awareness of parents and prospective parents not only about the patterns of child development, but also
about how to deal with children in order to make sure they develop their skills optimally.
Parents of preschool-aged children consider the development of intelligence, physical health, and non-
aggressive behavior to be the most important aspects of development that are influenced by preschool
education. While many parents are aware of the developmental milestones, there are still a great deal
of them who have misconceptions about child development, which indicates an urgent need for
educational activities aimed at enabling the optimal development of children and early identification
of developmental disorders.
6.7. DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES – IDENTIFICATION, SUPPORT AND
OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRESCHOOL EDUCATION
6.7.1. Identification and support
Children with developmental disabilities are a vulnerable category in terms of different life
circumstances, including opportunities for preschool education. Their integration with other children
in preschools (and later in schools) is often problematic because they are visibly different from their
peers. Developmental disorders occur at a time when children are too small for any of their behaviours
to be considered unusual, or for them to be able to report specific difficulties, which makes their early
identification and treatment difficult.
Respondents believe that the greatest responsibility for early identification of developmental
disabilities in preschool-aged children rests with the parents, especially the mother, followed by
doctors, preschool educators and others. The vast majority of parents say that if they noticed or
suspected that their child has a developmental disability, they would first contact physicians, that is
paediatricians (93 per cent).
In this regard, the importance of physicians is significantly more frequently emphasised by respondents
in project municipalities than those in control municipalities. Conversely, respondents in control
municipalities tend to see parents or other caregivers as being more important for early identification
of developmental disabilities. Parents from the general population and parents of children with
developmental disabilities tend to attach greater importance to doctors than Roma parents, who are in
turn significantly more likely than parents from the general population to emphasise the importance of
mother and father in the early identification of developmental difficulties in children.
Figure 31: Please rank in your estimation the responsibility of different persons for the early
identification of developmental difficulties in preschool-aged children? – Arithmetic means of the
ranks
(The table shows the average ranking for each person, where a lower ranking means more responsibility
for identifying developmental disabilities. Respondents could assign the same ranking to more than
one person if they felt that they have equal responsibility.)
Slightly more than a third of respondents (35 per cent) report that professional help for parents of
children with disabilities is available in their communities, while 38 per cent claim that these
professionals are not available in their communities. More than a quarter of respondents (27 per cent)
do not know if these professionals are available or not. While parents in control municipalities are
Total
All respondents
Project municipalities
Control municipalities
Parents, general
population
Roma parents
Parents of children with
special needs
Physician/paediatrician 2.81 2.85 2.73 2.85 2.37 2.75Preschool educators 3.61 3.58 3.66 3.62 3.60 3.51Mother 1.24 1.21 1.28 1.21 1.36 1.47Father 2.20 2.15 2.30 2.17 2.49 2.31Somebody else 3.89 4.08 3.70 3.94 2.25 3.67
Municipality Category
M
significantly more likely than their counterparts in project municipalities to report that professional
help is not available, parents of preschool-aged children living in project municipalities significantly
more often report not knowing whether professional help is available in their locality or not. As
concerns the different categories of parents, parents of children with developmental disabilities
significantly more often than other parents say that professional help is available, which is to be
expected given the fact that these parents are probably forced to inform themselves and seek
professional help. However, the fact remains that many parents of preschool-aged children do not know
whether this kind of help is available in their community, which indicates the need for better
information and for expanding professional help services to communities where they are currently
unavailable.
Figure 32: Is professional help for parents who have children with developmental disabilities available in your community? – Percentage distribution
Respondents who report that professional help is available for parents of children with developmental
disabilities most often say that it is available in health care facilities (35 per cent), while 16 per cent
say that they would seek help in centres for children with special needs, and 15 per cent state that help
is provided by various professionals and specialists, doctors and other experts, such as psychologists,
speech therapists or social workers. In this regard, it would be interesting to find out whether
respondents lack proper information or the said professionals are indeed not available in their localities.
Once it has been established which of the two is the case, it would be necessary either to better inform
the respondents of the existing opportunities for professional help, or to work on recruiting
professionals who will provide assistance to parents of children with developmental disabilities.
Figure 33. What kind of professional help is available and from whom? – Percentage distribution
(This question was answered only by respondents who reported that professional help for parents of
children with developmental disabilities was available in their locality!)
1.7
2.1
5.5
5.9
6.0
12.6
15.2
15.7
35.2
.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.0
Kindergarten or school
Other
Centre for Mental Health
Center for Social Work
Don’t know/no answer
Various associations and organisations
Various professionals and specialists (doctors,
psychologists, speech therapists, soc. workers)
Centre for children with special needs
Health care facilities
6.7.2. Opportunities for preschool education for children with developmental
disabilities
A total of 6.5 per cent of the respondents in this survey have preschool-aged children with specific
developmental difficulties, ranging from speech impediments (20 per cent), Down syndrome (16 per
cent), autism (9 per cent), cerebral palsy (6 per cent), epilepsy (6 per cent), visual impairment (6 per
cent), psychomotor problems (6 per cent) and hearing impairment (4 per cent), while the rest of the
children have a variety of health problems, such as heart problems, asthma, etc.
Slightly more than half of respondents (51 per cent) believe that children with developmental
disabilities should attend preschool together with other children, mostly for socialisation (40 per cent),
but also because all children are the same and should have the same rights (36 per cent), as well as lest
these children should feel isolated (20 per cent). On the other hand, less than half of the respondents
(41 per cent), but still a very high percentage, believe that children with developmental disabilities
should not attend preschool together with other children but separately, on account of the fact that they
require special attention and professional assistance in education (70 per cent), that they cannot fit in
with other children (14 per cent), and that they are dependent on others for assistance (12 per cent).
Roma parents are more likely than their general population counterparts to hold that children with
developmental disabilities should attend preschool together with other children. Apparently, many
parents are aware of the rights and benefits of inclusive education for children with developmental
disabilities. However, a large number of parents of preschool-aged children continue to treat children
with disabilities differently from other children just because of their condition, thus denying them the
right to optimal development.
Figure 34: Do you believe that children with developmental disabilities should attend preschool
together with your children, or you believe that there should be separate preschools for children with developmental disabilities? – Percentage distribution
Somewhat more than a third of children with developmental disabilities (35 per cent) go to preschool,
while the majority of them do not. For half of the children who do not attend preschool, parents do not
intend to enrol them (50 per cent); only 23 per cent of parents of these children say that they will enrol
their child in preschool. The main reasons why many of these children will not attend preschool include
their health problems and the lack of specialised preschools for children with developmental disabilities
(46 per cent), followed by financial difficulties, which prevent 23 per cent of children from attending
preschool and achieving many of its benefits as previously described.
Figure 35. Is the child enrolled in preschool? – Percentage distribution
Figure 36. Do you plan to enrol your child in preschool? – Percentage distribution
According to parents of preschool-aged children, it is the parents who play a major role in the early
identification of developmental disabilities. Many of these parents report that professional help for
parents of children with developmental disabilities is not available or they do not know if it is available
in their localities. Also, many parents of preschool-aged children believe that children with
developmental disabilities should not attend preschool together with other children, saying that they
require special attention and cannot fit in with other children. Hence, the majority of children with
developmental disabilities do not attend preschool.
6.8. OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRESCHOOL EDUCATION FOR ROMA CHILDREN
For years education of Roma children has been one of the central problems faced by these children and
their parents. In this survey, 8.7 per cent of respondents are persons of Roma ethnicity who have
children of preschool age. The findings of this survey show that discriminatory attitudes are much
stronger towards children with developmental disabilities than Roma children. The majority of
respondents (84 per cent, including Roma people) believe that Roma children should go to preschool
with other children. The main argument in favour of joint education of Roma children and other
children is the awareness that all children are the same and should have the same rights (88 per cent),
and that Roma children should be educated and kept off the streets (10 per cent). As expected, Roma
parents more often than other parents feel that their children need to be with other children. However,
it is important to note that a relatively high percentage of parents (16 per cent) believe that Roma
children should attend preschool separately from other children. Parents of children with
developmental disabilities more frequently than their Roma and general population counterparts
believe that Roma children should attend separate preschools. Arguments offered in favour of separate
preschool education for Roma children reflect different biases towards these children, the most
common one being that they do not care about hygiene and that they are ill-behaved.
Figure 37: Do you believe that Roma children should attend preschool together with your children, or you believe that there should be separate preschools for Roma children? – Percentage distribution
Most parents of preschool-aged children believe that Roma children should attend preschool with
other children as they have the same rights as children from all other ethnic groups. A small number
of respondents who have the opposite view are parents using different prejudices against the Roma
ethnic group as arguments supporting their view about separate preschool education for Roma
children.
6.9. PROPER NUTRITION AND IMMUNISATION
Part of this survey focused on the issue of health and proper nutrition of children, which is considered
to be very important for proper and healthy development of the child.
It seems that parents of preschool-aged children pay attention to ensuring a healthy diet for their
children, i.e. that children are offered enough fruits and vegetables. The majority of parents (86 per
cent) report that their children eat fresh fruits and vegetables daily, and 10 per cent say that their
children consume these foods once a week. Furthermore, the majority of parents (90 per cent) say that
they are able to ensure a daily intake of fresh fruits and vegetables for their child. Parents from the
general population and parents of children with developmental disabilities are more likely to daily
serve fresh fruit and vegetables to their children than their Roma counterparts.
Figure 38: How often does your child have fresh fruits and vegetables as part of his/her diet? –
Percentage distribution
Figure 39. Can you ensure that your child eats fresh fruits and vegetables as part of his/her daily diet? – Percentage distribution
Most parents of children attending preschool (65 per cent) are familiar with what children in preschools
have on the menu every day, and most are completely satisfied (74 per cent) with these menus, while
one in five parents (21 per cent) state they are partially satisfied with the menu. Again, expectations
are a variable that moderates satisfaction in this case, so the satisfaction of parents with preschool
menus depends on what parents mean by healthy diet.
Figure 40. Do you know what your child has on the menu at preschool every day? – Percentage
distribution
Figure 41: How satisfied are you with the menu offered at preschool? – Percentage distribution
In terms of health, the survey investigated whether parents take regular care of vaccinating their
children. The findings are positive – the majority of preschool-aged children (93 per cent) were
vaccinated. As regards the differences, parents in project municipalities more often than their
counterparts in control municipalities report that their children were not vaccinated. Also, parents of
children with developmental disabilities and Roma parents are more likely than their general
population counterparts to state that their children were not vaccinated. The reasons for avoiding
immunisation most commonly cited by certain parents include children’s health problems (55 per cent),
which is significantly more likely to be cited by parents of children with developmental disabilities
than other parents, and parents’ fear of the side effects of vaccination (25 per cent).
Figure 42. Have your children received all vaccines as required for their age? – Percentage
distribution
Parents of preschool-aged children in BiH take care of their children’s diet as well as their vaccination.
However, it is important to note that both healthy diet and immunisation are associated with personal
views about the hazards and benefits of specific foods or medicines, which can have a significant
impact on parent’s satisfaction levels as well as their decisions about nutrition and health care of
children in general.
7. CONCLUSIONS
Overall, the majority of parents of preschool-aged children are aware of the existence of preschools as
well as the availability of preparatory preschool programmes, and believe they are important for early
socialisation of children and preparation for school. However, most parents do not enrol their children
in preschool. The reasons are varied: financial difficulties, distance and transport availability, as well
as individual attitudes and knowledge. Given the standard of living and the unemployment rate in BiH,
it is quite possible that financial and economic reasons override all other considerations when it comes
to making decisions about early education for children in preschools: lack of resources to finance
preschool education as well as the attitude that preschool is not necessary when one parent is
unemployed. Respondents who have experience with preschools express a positive attitude towards
these facilities, stating that in them children “receive education”, “are cared for”, “socialise”, and that
preschools are clean, safe and well-equipped, with competent, caring and friendly staff. It seems that
parents of preschool-aged children in BiH need to be further educated about all the benefits of
preschool education, other than just socialisation and preparation for school in terms of learning
alphabet, the advantages of which they already recognise very well. Also, it is important to emphasise
the effects of early education on cognitive development, emotional development, language
development, motor development, etc. Furthermore, it is necessary to work on eliminating
discriminatory attitudes among parents of preschool-aged children, in particular with respect to
educational opportunities and the needs of children with developmental disabilities, while parents of
these children should be provided with adequate professional help and information about where and
how to access such help. Finally, parents need to be educated more thoroughly about the healthy diet
for children in general, including the importance of a varied diet as well as creating healthy eating
habits.
8. RECOMMENDATIONS
The recommendations below are based on the findings of this survey. The recommendations need to
be further elaborated and based on them specific policies need to be created which will result in the
improvement of preschool education of children in BiH.
• Roma parents and parents of preschool-aged children in control municipalities would
particularly benefit from further information about the preparatory preschool programme, as
the findings of this survey indicate that these groups of parents are less informed about this
subject than their other counterparts. The payment of preschool tuition fees should be one of
the topics about which parents of preschool-aged children generally need to receive further
information. Overall, many parents of preschool-aged children, while they think they know
what preparatory preschool programmes are, do not realise the comprehensive and multiple
benefits of these programmes for the overall early development of the child, which include the
effects not only on the cognitive or social development, but also the emotional and psychomotor
development of the child. Therefore, all parents should be further educated about the
comprehensive benefits of preschools. Also, nearly a quarter of parents of preschool-aged
children whose children do not attend the preparatory preschool programme do not know where
children can attend this programme. Parents of preschool-aged children should be thoroughly
informed on this matter too.
• In light of the low percentage of preschool-aged children who attend preschool and preparatory
preschool programme, it is necessary to encourage the enrolment of children in these facilities
and programmes, particularly in control municipalities and among the Roma population, where
the enrolment rate was found to be lower than in other population.
• Some of the barriers to preschool education of children that need to be overcome in order to
increase the preschool enrolment rate include large distance of preschools from children’s
homes and financial difficulties. The distance problem can be overcome either by opening
preschools in communities where they are currently not available or by organising transport of
children to locations where preschool education is available. Financial aid would allow and
help many parents to enrol their children in preschool.
• Preschool education should be adapted to children with developmental disabilities, and teachers
need to be educated on the needs of these children, while other children need to be sensitised
to their needs and particularities. Also, a high percentage of parents of preschool-aged children
think that children with developmental disabilities should not attend preschool with other
children. Hence, parents should be educated about this group of children, their characteristics
and needs.
• Positive experiences of parents whose children attend preschool and their attitudes about the
benefits of preschool education and qualities of preschool staff as well as conditions in these
facilities could be put to good use in promoting the work of these facilities and encouraging
other parents to enrol their children to preschool.
• While a large number of parents have complete confidence in preschool staff, and in their
competences, knowledge, positive attitude towards children, etc., there is a high percentage of
those who voice contrasting views. Firstly, it is necessary to examine how competent,
professional and dedicated preschool staff in BiH is, and work to improve their performance
and promote their quality, particularly in project municipalities, where negative attitudes about
preschool staff were voiced more frequently. In particular, it is necessary to improve the
knowledge of Roma parents about preschool staff. Similarly, it is necessary to look at and
improve the conditions in preschool facilities, such as hygiene, food quality, teaching aids, etc.
• Given the importance of parent-teacher meetings, it seems important to legally regulate the
number of mandatory meetings on a monthly basis, as well as clearly define their content and
purpose. Also, parents should be required to attend a certain number of these meetings.
• Parents of preschool-aged children need to be further educated about the developmental
milestones and early indicators of developmental difficulties, with the aim of early
identification of developmental disabilities, but also in order to avoid excessively high
expectations and encourage child’s real potential. Also, parents need to be educated about the
importance of encouraging the achievement of specific developmental milestones during early
development, importance of parental involvement in this period, as well as how to properly
stimulate development. Furthermore, education is needed with respect to unrealistic
expectations and their deleterious effects. Parents of preschool-aged children should also be
informed about who they can contact if they suspect that their child has some developmental
difficulties. Moreover, it is necessary to identify priority locations where help to parents of
children with developmental disabilities is currently unavailable and should be made available.
• Although most parents of preschool-aged children believe that Roma children should go to
preschool with other children, prejudices against this group are still present in the attitudes of
quite a few parents who have the opposite view. It is vital to continue and improve activities
aimed at eliminating prejudice against the Roma ethnic minority and reducing discrimination
against Roma children with respect to education.
• Future surveys of preschool education in BiH should address the quality of preschool
programmes and identify the types of programmes that have the best long-term impact on
children’s development.