Betydning af tilhør: Oversete perspektiver på “den gode opstart” i vuggestuen.

The study investigates the importance of young children’s sense of belonging in peer groups during the initial days of attending kindergarten. The researchers analyse how parents, kindergarten teachers and children themselves experience a good start to kindergarten, and the study places particular emphasis on the children’s need for both attachment to adults and a sense of belonging in peer groups. The study also investigates how these needs can be balanced and combined. The research question is: How do parents and kindergarten teachers understand and explain the collaboration regarding toddlers’ start-up in kindergarten, and what role do the other children play in the process of welcoming new children?

The study shows that belonging to child peer groups is important for a successful start in kindergarten. Parents and kindergarten teachers often have different perceptions about children’s needs, which can create collaboration challenges. Establishing trust and a ‘chain of care’ between the home and kindergarten is crucial for the child’s well-being. Attachment to adults and participation in peer groups should be seen as interconnected needs.

The researchers used ethnographic observations and interviews to collect data. The observations took place in three Danish kindergartens, where the researchers followed daily routines and the children’s start-up processes over the course of 300 hours. A total of 16 interviews were conducted with kindergarten staff and 19 interviews with parents.

Marschall, A., & Munck, C. (2022). Betydning af tilhør: Oversete perspektiver på “den gode opstart” i vuggestuen. Forskning i pædagogers profession og uddannelse, 6(2), 6–17.