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Administration and Management of An ECCE Centre

the organization. It also includes allocating resources to accomplish the desired
goals. Management also includes planning, organising, staffing, leading and
controlling the various activities of the centre. Good management helps to motivate Notes
all to work towards the common goals of the ECCE centre.

16.2 ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT IN THE
CONTEXT OF AN ECCE CENTRE
The early childhood centre administrator is responsible for the overall operation
of the centre and services being provided by it. Depending on the size of the
centre and number of employees working in the centre, the roles and
responsibilities of early childhood administrators may vary. The responsibilities
of the administrator are diverse, ranging from complete responsibility for
programme operations to shared responsibilities of specific operations or
programs by other employees.

In an ECCE centre, it is invariably the manager who looks after the management of
the organization, where as the administrator is responsible for
the administration of the centre. Management focuses on managing people and
their work, while administration focuses on making the best possible utilization
of the organization’s resources.

Both administration and management are concerned with the basic functions of
planning, organising and controlling. In organizations, there are typically three
levels of management:

• Top level comprising of the owners of the centre

• Middle level comprising of Centre Head and assistants
• First level comprising the ECCE staff/teachers

Management styles can be categorized as Autocratic, Democratic, or Laissez-
Faire, with Autocratic being the most controlling and Laissez-Faire being the
least controlling.
A preschool’s management is typically responsible for:

• the direction and supervision of the work of all staff ;

• recruitment, induction, training, development and performance management
of staff;

• overall safety and well-being of the children in their care;
• setting policies and procedures for the service and ensuring their
implementation;

• ensuring compliance with the ChildCare (PreSchool Services) Regulations
and all other relevant legislation;

EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION 117