Administrators' Experience of Using Service Provided by Center for Children's Foodservice Management among Home-based Child Care Centers in Seoul

Lee, Joo Eun

Abstract

This study examined the experience of administrators of home-based child care centers about CCFSM (Center for Children's Foodservice Management) service using a qualitative approach. Eight administrators of home-based child care centers in Seoul with more than one year's experience of CCFSM were interviewed regarding their opinions on support activities, standards, and foodservice management. The interviews were semi-structured with open-ended questions and they were transcribed and classified according to the subjects. There were negative opinions regarding the indications after a hygiene inspection leaving photographs or records behind, but most positive opinions were about round visits for foodservice sanitation and nutrition management. The participants thought that it is not enough that the number of nutrition education sessions for children be twice a year, and there was a suggestion to increase the rentals of nutrition educational materials. There was a complaint about the menus in that were difficult to prepare for lunch time or to obtain food ingredients for. The administrators poorly recognized how to use the standardized recipes and chlorine-based disinfectants, so they could not be applied properly. They also pointed out the problems of joint purchasing as low quality and high prices in the food service operation. They felt discriminated against compared to with larger scale child care centers because of their size and expressed concerns regarding the fact that many home-based child care centers were not included due to the lack of publicity and budget. Through the results, the CCFSM should provide a differentiated service and management by creating a dedicated team or staff for home-based child care centers so they will not feel left out. In addition, It is also important to constantly gather opinions to improve the menus and to use standardized recipes practically. In addition, it will be necessary to develop nutrition educational materials corresponding to the infants' age for home-based child care centers and increase the rent to expand nutrition education.