Purpose
This article compiles and discusses research on the tension that exists between institutional diversity among owners of Norwegian kindergartens on the one hand, and the authorities’ ambitions to provide equal kindergarten provision to all children on the other. An important objective of this article was to highlight the need for new research on how the kindergarten sector is managed in order to achieve equal provision across institutional diversity among kindergarten owners.
Result
The article found that private kindergarten owners had great room for manoeuvre and influence in the kindergarten sector. Both legal regulation and institutionalised norms for good kindergarten provision seemed to contribute to small differences in the management of kindergartens. These norms are developed and maintained in networks that include private kindergartens.
Design
Based on 14 research articles and reports from 2004 to 2017, this article compiles and discusses research on the tension that exists between institutional diversity among owners of Norwegian kindergartens on the one hand, and the authorities’ ambitions to provide equal kindergarten provision to all children on the other.
References
Haugset, A. S. (2018). «Institusjonelt eiermangfold og et likeverdig barnehagetilbud». Tidsskrift for nordisk barnehageforskning, 17(5):1-14