The development of a personal growth programme to address the emotional needs of early childhood development practitioners in previously disadvantaged communities

Abstract

This research was based on the development of a Personal Growth Programme to address the emotional needs of ECD practitioners dealing with vulnerable children in previously disadvantaged communities, mostly in Gauteng. Early childhood development practitioners placed emphasis on their emotional needs and the kind of interventions necessary to assist them in dealing effectively with the emotional needs of children in their care. A Personal Growth Programme was designed with the aim of stimulating and sustaining reflexive practices and emotional growth through self-exploration, role-play and sharing of experiences. Relying on semi-structured interviews, the practitioners’ evaluations of the Personal Growth Programme were presented. All agreed that the programme had benefited them as individuals and as practitioners. They reported that the most important skills they had learnt were self-knowledge and empathy with the children in their care, both of which improved their practice. Some cited how these skills had benefited not only their practice but their personal relationships with family. Some of the skills were thus cited as life-changing. Regarding the sustaining of support groups, only three groups managed to meet at least once after the personal growth programme, with the aim of discussing their work or other issues related to it. The programme therefore made a difference for individuals but its sustainability revealed less success, suggesting that sustainability needed more attention. Copyright