IDENTIFIERS *New Zealand

Research indicates that staff in non-profit child care centers, compared to those in private centers, tend to receive higher wages, express greater job satisfaction and commitment, and are better trained and more experienced in child care. This study presents results of a survey of 32 staff members in 2 private and 3 non-profit centers in New Zealand. Staff were asked about qualifications, work history, motivations for working in child care, the most and least favorable aspects of their work, and how they saw the future of child care in New Zealand. In addition, four workers were interviewed in depth--three from private centers, one from a non-profit center--about their relationships with their employers and the rewards and difficulties of their work situations. Survey and interview results indicated that, in general, workers in privately owned centers experienced poorer conditions than their colleagues i