Abstract:

In recent decades, women have faced increasing pressure from society to take on multiple roles in their professional and personal lives. This dynamic reflects the drive for gender equality in postmodern society. Although society has made efforts towards gender equality, women still face significant conflict in trying to build a career and be a mother.

To continue their promising career, women are often pressured to return to work soon after having a child. This often means finding an adequate and qualified replacement for their child, which is typically a nanny. Do agencies provide enough evidence of a nanny's professionalism, such as medical training (usually as a nurse), completion of a certified nanny course, a criminal record, or feedback and evaluation from parents, for mothers to believe they have provided the best possible care for their offspring? In the early years of a child's life, the caregiver plays a crucial role in forming attachment and developing the child's character structure. The qualifications of the nanny are indicated by the above materials, but it is important to consider their qualities and personality as well.

The main objective of the Fleximaternity project (No. CZ.1.04/3.4.04/76.00177, 2012-2015), created within the EU Operational Programme - Employment (investment priority 'Equal opportunities for women and men on the labour market and reconciliation of work and family life'), was to create a psychological profile of applicants for the childminder retraining course through diagnostic screening.

A total of 160 people were tested, of whom 90 were recommended for the course. Psychodiagnostic methods, including AIST-R, ICL, and IVE, were used to assess personality, motivation, and identify any problem areas in the candidates' lives. The second stage of the psychodiagnostic selection process was a diagnostic interview. The aim of this paper was to find out what kind of person substitutes the parents in the upbringing. As part of a comprehensive analysis of the psychological variables obtained in the comparison of recommended and non-recommended candidates for the nanny course, we found that the group of recommended candidates (N=90) exhibited statistically significant lower levels of Suspicion (Mann-Whitney U-test p < 0.05) and Aloof Introversion (Mann-Whitney U-test p < 0.05) compared to the non-recommended group (N=70). In contrast, the results showed that they were significantly more Emphatetic (p < 0.001, Mann-Whitney U-test) and more Dominant (p < 0.05, Mann-Whitney U-test).

Although formal skills and knowledge are important qualifications for a certified nanny, they do not necessarily reflect the character of the individual. Therefore, it is crucial to be vigilant when selecting candidates for this position, as it can have a significant impact on the health and psychological well-being of the next generation.

Keywords:

Nanny, psychological assessment, personality, equal opportunities.