Competence and Burnout in Family Child Care Providers

Competence and burnout among human service professionals, including recent studies on burnout among teachers in child care centers, have received a great deal of attention. However, few studies have examined the interconnection between competence and burnout in family child care providers. Using a sample of 226 family child care providers, this study identifies the variables or combination of variables that contribute to competence and burnout in this population. Findings indicate that age and educational level of provider, use of lesson plans, perceived adequacy of space, and satisfaction with equipment and materials are significantly related to competence, burnout or both. Implications for improving competence and diminishing burnout in family child care providers are discussed.