The Visibility of Kitchen and Cleaning Staff Working in Preschool Education Institutions

Purpose: This research aims to understand the social visibility of kitchen and cleaning staff working in preschools. Method: The research was conducted using basic qualitative research methods. Maximum variation sampling was used to determine the study group, which consisted of a total of 21 people: 5 kitchen staff, 11 cleaning staff, and 5 administrators. Data were collected from the study group through semi-structured interviews, and the data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The research theoretically examined visibility through socio-cultural (the ways in which culture and society influence visibility), socio-legal (the legal and regulatory factors affecting visibility), and socio-spatial (the physical and spatial aspects of visibility) mechanisms. The themes were named after these mechanisms. Coding and categorization processes were conducted based on visibility. Findings: The research findings demonstrate that kitchen and cleaning staff maintain clear socio-cultural and socio-spatial visibility within preschool settings. However, their socio-legal visibility remains fragmented, showing distinct visibility in certain regulatory categories while remaining entirely invisible in others. Conclusion: The research reveals that while the staff are socio-culturally and socio-spatially visible, they experience partial invisibility within the socio-legal dimension. In light of these findings, it is suggested that future visibility research re-examine socio-spatial mechanisms through a broader, more holistic perspective.