FAMILIES' EXPECTATIONS ON THE ROLE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND THE SCHOOL CONTEXT

Abstract

This article explores early childhood education in relation to the role of families, viewing childhood as a continuous development influenced by culture, others, and society. It highlights the family as the child's first social sphere and its connection with education in collective spaces like daycare centers. The goal is to understand families' expectations and the school context. The research is qualitative, using a cartographic approach to monitor processes, with data collected through semi-structured interviews and the researcher’s field journal. Analysis was done via content analysis and a word cloud with Atlas.ti. Results show that, despite recognizing the importance of family–school partnerships, tensions remain due to mismatched expectations and institutional practices. The collective functioning of the daycare often overlooks individual needs, creating challenges. The study concludes that strengthening ties between families and institutions is key to supporting the child's overall development—cognitive, affective, motor, and social—by fostering spaces for dialogue, negotiation, and role redefinition to align expectations and build collaborative relationships.