Special Needs of Boys and the Impact of Mixed-Gender Teams

Theoretically based on early pedagogical and psychoanalytic research ndings, the Austrian W-INN-study aims at con rming research questions as well as nding possible new hypotheses about men’s in uence on children. The pilot study focuses on different research questions: What similarities and/or differences can be found in interactions with children de- pending on childcare staff composition (mixed gender vs. female)? What are childrens’ (re-)actions in these groups/towards staff? Are there possible ‘compensatory effects’ of male childcarers for children who don’t have much contact with fathers and/or men in general? Our paper will present the main results of the research project and its practical implications