• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.105-126
• /
• 2024

Objective: The study aimed to develop and validate a tool for assessing daycare center organizational competence and for autonomously managing childcare quality. Methods: Through literature review and expert reviews, items were derived and validated using the Content Validity Index. Data from a survey involving 216 directors and 509 teachers were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS to assess reliability and conduct confirmatory factor analysis. Results: Results revealed a 36-item diagnostic tool across four subcategories: shared values (6 items), training abilities (18 items), environmental support (6 items), and organizational promotion (6 items). A diagnostic tool named S.T.E.P+ was developed, named after the first letters of the four subfactors. Skewness and kurtosis were within normality assumptions. Good fit indices (CFI, TLI) and low SRMR and RMSEA values indicated a satisfactory model fit. Cronbach's α values showed high reliability for all factors. The tool enables autonomous diagnosis of childcare quality. Conclusion/Implications: This tool can effectively autonomously diagnose whether a daycare center is providing quality childcare.