Abstract
Based on previously unpublished results from the “Schlüssel zu guter Bildung, Erziehung und Betreuung” [Keys to high-quality early education and care] study (Viernickel et al., 2013a) this paper addresses the question of professionalism and professionalisation in the field of early childhood education and care. High expectations and demands regarding caregiver professionalism by parents and the public are not met by the quality of current processes and structures in daycare centers. Neither the structural or organizational settings nor the professional identity and confidence of daycare teachers and center leaders ensure a sufficient level of professionalism. Nevertheless, a range of enhancing as well as obstructive variables can be identified: An open-minded and self-reflective organisational culture of discussion focusing on professional issues and questions and an appreciating, encouraging style of leadership combined with professional input foster professionalism in teachers' acting. Aspects of structural quality (satisfaction with general conditions and provider support of professional development) prove to be important prerequisites to diminish the gap between expectations and reality. A combination of a qualitative, socio-genetic approach and a quantitative, cluster-analytic approach to the construction of typologies of daycare teachers is developed, discussed and (re-) evaluated.