Öz
This study aims to examine the qualifications of the assisted services staff working at institutions of pre-school education, their contributions to and negative impacts on education and training processes and the views of pre-school education administrators regarding their performance and selection process. Adopting a qualitative research design, the study was carried out using phenomenology. The study group consisted of 10 school administrators working at preschools located within Kahramanmaras province, Onikişubat and Dulkadiroğlu districts. The data were collected through a semi-structured interview form prepared by the researchers. Descriptive analysis was used during data analysis. The results indicated that assisted services staff not only contribute to the learning and teaching processes in different fields but also have a negative impact on them. School administrators were of the view that assisted services staff should have professional qualifications, such as being educated and having a certificate related to the field, especially in the fields of pre-school education and child development, as well as personal qualifications like positive personality traits, language and communication skills; moreover, the administrators also complained that the existing staff do not possess these qualifications. They also believed that the staff employed through service procurement were the most productive among the assisted services staff working at schools, and the selection of these staff should be done by school administrators themselves. Based on the results, several recommendations were made. Those with certificates and a certain level of education in the field of pre-school education and child development may be given priority while recruiting assisted staff. The existing personnel may be recommended to participate in in-service training courses or those in public education centers.