Previous results of national and international empirical studies show that the quality of day care facilities has a significant impact on the development of children (ECCE-Study Group, 1999). Research confirms that higher quality in child care is generally associated with more desirable child outcomes than child care of poorer quality (Lamb, 2000). Consequently, quality assurance strategies like criteria setting via plans and frameworks for child care are important as they are expected to have sustainable effects on the quality of educational processes by implementing specific measures, e.g. in terms of staff qualification.

Depending on the perspective, there are different demands on such a plan or framework. Hereby it is important to differentiate between the professional’s perspective and the perspective of the organization. While the whole organization relies on a relatively general framework, the framework in terms of educational processes for staff members should be as precise as possible in order to get a conceptual clarity (Bostelmann & Fink, 2007, p.17). Mischo and Fröhlich-Gildhoff (2011) point out that plans and frameworks differ in terms of depth, pedagogical orientations or its binding characters. Thus, research is needed to evaluate the quality of plans and frameworks.

The external evaluation of implemented pedagogical approaches of child day care facilities in Upper Austria is an important first step towards quality assurance and calls for further research. Descriptions as well as evaluation of “visionary statements”, “the use definition of goals and concepts” and “service descriptions” are necessary elements of an effective quality assurance system.

The present study aimed at identifying the quality of pedagogical frameworks composed for the first time by staff of 477 day-care institutions during February and November 2012. In addition, it also aimed at providing feedback on the possibilities and necessities for improvement in terms of quality assurance.

The quality of a pedagogical framework, however, is only one possible indicator of child care quality. As a next step it will be necessary to evaluate the child day care facilities with the same catalogue of criteria. Consequently, questions about the transfer of pedagogical frameworks into practice will be raised.

Bostelmann, A. & Fink, M. (2007). Pädagogische Prozesse im Kindergarten – Planung, Um-setzung und Evaluation (2.Aufl.). Cornelsen: Berlin. European Child Care and Education (ECCE)-Study Group. (1999). European Child Care and Education Study: School-age Assessment of Child Development: Long-term impact of Pre-school Experiences on School Success, and Family-School Relationships. Berlin: Freie Universität. Harms, T., Clifford, R.M. & Cryer, D. (2005). Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS-R). New York: Teachers College Press. Lamb, M. E. (2002). The Effects of Quality of Care on Child Development. Applied Develo-pmental Science, 4(3), 112–116. Mayring, P. (2010). Qualitative Inhaltsanalyse: Grundlagen und Techniken. Weinheim: Beltz. Mischo, C. & Förhlich-Gildhoff, K. (2011). Professionalisierung und Professionsentwicklung im Bereich der frühen Bildung. Frühe Bildung, 0, 4-12. Tietze, W. & Viernickel, S. (Hrsg.). (2007). Pädagogische Qualität in Tageseinrichtungen für Kinder – Ein nationaler Kriterienkatalog (3.Aufl.). Cornelsen: Berlin.