Teacher Perspectives on the Practice of Continuity of Care

ABSTRACT

This study aims to address gaps in the literature on continuity of care through focus group interviews with teachers at public early care and education programs in San Diego County, California, USA. To better understand various perspectives on continuity of care, focus groups were conducted at programs that currently practice continuity of care, as well as programs that do not. A total of 28 teachers from four centers (two continuity of care and two noncontinuity of care) participated in the study. Teachers were asked about their beliefs about the practice of continuity of care, their perceived benefits of and barriers to the practice, and alternative strategies for transitioning children across classrooms (if continuity was not practiced). Findings indicate that teachers from continuity and noncontinuity centers overwhelmingly believed that practicing continuity of care is beneficial to children, families, and teachers. Teachers from both groups described barriers to implementing continuity of care as primarily administrative (e.g., lack of prep time, need for professional development training) in nature.

KEYWORDS:

• Early childhood
• teacher
• teacher practices