Professionals’ experiences of using an improvement programme: applying quality improvement work in preschool contexts

The study investigates how kindergarten employees experience a Breakthrough Series Collaborative Improvement Programme aimed at improving the outdoor areas of kindergartens.

The results show that the intervention was successful in the sense that the staff were satisfied with the learning seminars and the changes they achieved in the kindergartens’ physical outdoor environment. They integrated the experiences from the programme into ordinary kindergarten work and involved the children to a greater extent.

The development programme was tested at nine Swedish kindergartens in a longitudinal study where the data material was collected using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. Kindergarten staff responded to surveys on four occasions and participated in interviews following the intervention. The development programme had two goals: To involve kindergarten teachers and children in improvement work and to develop multifunctional outdoor kindergarten environments in order to promote health and sustainable development.

Kjellström, S., ‍‍Andersson, A.-C. & Samuelsson, T. (2020). ‍‍“Professionals’ experiences of using an improvement programme: applying quality improvement work in preschool contexts”. BMJ Open Quality, 9(3): Artikkelnummer: 00933.