The Perceptions of School Counselors and Principals Towards New Psychological Counseling and Guidance Services in Early Childhood Education in Turkey

The purpose of the study was to understand the perceptions of the school administrators and psychological guidance counselors towards guidance service for early childhood education. The main objective of the study was to comprehend the perceptions of the administrators, and guidance counselors in regards to the psychological services given in pre-school. This study was qualitative in nature and data collection was conducted using qualitative methods. Data collection was conducted through the collection of personal information and open-ended questions on a survey. A descriptive content analysis method was used in analyzing the data and each author carried this out. The authors agreed on the main themes that emerged from the data. The findings suggest that the psychological counselors and administrators had not received enough education to apply counseling to pre-school child. Especially at the undergraduate level, courses were very limited and insufficient in preparing counselors for that particular age group. Specific training is needed for that age level so that guidance counselors feel confident that they may be able to provide knowledgeable guidance services in the early childhood age group. This is crucial because we know that there are many advantages to early intervention. This type of service is necessary if we want children to develop to their full potential.