Men in children’s services in Hungary

Marta Korintus

National Institute for Family and Social Policy

Percentage of men

In the services: about 50 men in the country in services for 3-6

year olds None in services for under 3’s

In training: maybe 2-3 each year in one college

Who start to work in children’s services: not known

History

First bölcsőde (nursery) was opened in 1852

First óvoda (kindergarten) was founded in 1828

First workers in óvoda were mainly men in 1828, probably reflecting the education tradition of the time

Who are the workers today? 1

Almost exclusively women (a few men in services for 3-6 year olds)

Average age around 40 Specialists, with almost no horizontal or

vertical mobility Low paid

Who are the workers today? 2

Great majority of workers are qualified89% in services for under 3’s97% in services for 3-6/7 year olds

Further training compulsory Greatest challenge: finding future workers

Types of service 1

Divided system: „bölcsőde” (nursery) for children under 3„óvoda” (kindergarten) for those between 3-6

Services under the auspices of Welfare and Education, respectively

„Nevelés”: holistic approach to care and education, with more emphasis on care for under 3’s and on learning for 3-6 year olds

Types of service 2

Decentralized service provision Almost entirely public Full time, center-based services Different types of other services offered by

centers (e.g. mother-toddler group, take away meals, events for parents)

Coverage

Maternal and parental leaves are offered until the child is 3 years old. All mothers are eligible.

8.4% of the age group in bölcsőde 92% of the age group in óvoda

Occupations

Name of workers in bölcsőde, is gondozó (nursery worker), meaning a person looking after/taking care of children

Name of workers in óvoda is óvodapedagógus (kindergarten pedagogue) meaning exactly a pedagogue working in kindergarten

150 years long tradition

Gondozónő and óvónő. The word ending nő means „woman” in

Hungarian. Óvónő képző = training schools for women

kindergarten pedagogues. It has been only lately that the official

gondozó and óvodapedagógus were introduced

Qualifications

Qualification:Upper medium level in „bölcsőde”Tertiary in „óvoda”

Training 1

The basic training for nursery workers: A 3-year course based on secondary level

education, offered by secondary schools. The total number of hours is 4 600, which is divided into 50 – 50 % theory and practice. 192 hours are devoted to pedagogy.

There is a Central Educational Program (central curriculum)

Training 2

The basic training for kindergarten pedagogues: Tertiary, offered by teacher training colleges No Central Educational Program The curriculum of the colleges should include

some obligatory subjects, (32-35%), and subjects preparing for work in kindergartens, (45-48%)

The total number of hours is 2500, with about 200 hours for pedagogy, and 30% practice.

Do we need more men?

Care Work interviewees and focus groupsyes

Public opinion surveyyes

Discussions with practitionersyes

All expressed doubts that men will come

Why?

Care Work interviewees and focus groupsThe number of children born outside marriage

is growing The proportion of single-parent families

doubled between 1990 and 1999Men are role modelsMen can do things women have difficulties

with, or cannot do

Challenges for men

The majority of Hungarian society still believes in traditional male and female duties and roles

Male workers to be accepted both by parents and female colleagues

There has been no public discourse about the issue of gender, and there is no policy to promote men’s higher participation level

What has been done?

Contact with male workers in kindergartensa male psychologist interested in running

focus groups for fathers in centerswith centers interested in working with fathers training school for kindergarten pedagogues

Successful bid for a conference in June Newsletter + 2 journals covered the topic

Can we stop now?

No

References

Care Work in Europe reports:

www.ioe.ac.uk/tcru/carework.htm

A short introduction to children’s services in Hungary:

Children in Europe, Issue 8, April 2005