Abstract:

The recognition of childhood went through a lengthy process that began in the XVIII century until the present. The social visibility was supported by a strong contribution from complaints made by philanthropists, philosophers, doctors, and later by teachers. The same was apparent in relation to education, which has come a long way to be taken into account. Supposing then the very positive development that occurred in relation to childhood and education, and considering that this is an unfinished process, it is crucial to invest in improving the conditions that are offered to children and their educational contexts.
The children’s permanence in educational child care is visibly increasing. As a result of social changes children are in care easier, therefore, giving the possibility of mothers practicing a full time job. Since this is a situation that brings benefits for both parties, children and families, but especially for children it is absolutely important to consider under what circumstances they are care.
Given that the quality of the learning environment is crucial for a proper integration of children and for the promotion of proper personal and social development we intend to highlight the main features of an educational environment of high quality day care. The functions to which the educational contexts of day care intend will be taken into consideration, particularly the educational and functions, that are inseparable and indispensable to the full development of children under the age of three years. Among them it is also important that children attend environments that are facilitators and promoters of autonomy, and that could encourage participation and promote innovation together with the promotion of meaningful experiences, because recent neurobiology researches have shown that the environment is a factor in the training and development of the individual’s personality.
The first years of life are crucial for development, is the time of higher activity and neural plasticity and more open to learning. The brain is affected by external conditions. Each time an individual interacts with the environment and go through various signals activates the neural circuits, thousands of cells in the brain are activated and many of the existing connections between brain cells are strengthened and new synapses or brain connections are established. According to several authors is during the first three years of children’s life that most synapses are produced. Thus, living meaningful experiences in early childhood is crucial to brain development and to that the ensure children’s development takes place in a more harmonious and balanced way.
Considering the development opportunities and sociable environment that provides day care we understand that the quality of educational contexts will be of high quality if the presence of educators qualified to perform the duties of care and education is constant. The initial training of educators enables practitioners to a deeper understanding of issues relating to the overall development children’s and appropriate strategies to the activation of their personal and social development. They are also able to realize that the development proceeds differently in every child and that there are no absolute standards of development. The development is a result of experiences that children have and is related to culture, in which it operates but more specifically to what that culture considers appropriate.

Keywords:

Educational child care.