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This study presents the Italian practitioners’ perspective on the inclusion of children with disabilities in ECEC. Historically, Italy had a split system (0–3 and 3–6 divisions); only recently was the ZeroSix Integrated System established. Seven 0–3-division educators and seven 3–6-division teachers were interviewed. Their responses were analysed through a deductive content analysis, based on the eight dimensions of inclusion proposed by the European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education (2017). The themes which were mainly mentioned as crucial for promoting inclusion were a child-centred approach; inclusive teaching and learning environment; inclusive social environment; and family-friendly environment. These same dimensions were also said to be challenging, together with the implementation of materials for all children. The strengths and weaknesses in inclusive processes partly differed between the two divisions. This study enriches the literature investigating how practitioners implement inclusive practices in ECEC, also analysing the differences between the 0–3 and the 3–6 divisions.

This paper investigates the regulation of publicly organized early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Denmark and Sweden, through the regulatory welfare state (RWS) framework. The analysis focuses on how alterations in funding and quality of care are shaped by governmental and nongovernmental actors at national and local levels of government. Through focused structured analysis, we examine how various actors have shaped the funding and quality of childcare in Denmark and Sweden, from the early 2000s to 2020, with special attention to the period during and after the 2008 financial crisis. In the aftermath of the financial crisis, concerns about quality in care were raised on the political agenda by various actors in both countries, leading to decisions to improve the quality of care. Yet, the regulatory dynamics differ: In Denmark, the debate led to a decision in 2019, to implement a minimum statutory requirement of regulatory quality standards. From an RWS perspective, this outcome can be qualified as "double expansion," because regulatory quality standards, and public funding for childcare increased. In Sweden, the debates about quality of ECEC led, in 2016, to political guidelines about quality standard, but with no additional national funds, and no mandatory regulatory quality requirements. Analytically, this can be qualified as "regulatory‐led expansion," that is requirements for quality standards, although the lack of additional national funds suggests that it will be difficult to improve ECEC quality substantially. The RWS perspective, which focuses on national and municipal levels of governance, also gives insights into hidden inequalities between municipalities regarding funding and quality of ECEC, which are more pronounced in Sweden than in Denmark. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the dynamic and situated nature of language education policy in an Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) centre through the lens of researcher-child relationality. Drawing on data from 4.5 months of linguistic ethnographic fieldwork in a pre-school in the Netherlands, one extended play situation that emerged between me as a researcher and a multilingual child is discussed in-depth. During our play, we interrelate with the pre-school's dominantly monolingual language education policy in multiple ways, ranging from manifesting it to challenging it, while we also constantly relate to the ECEC environment, and each other. Relationality is suggested as a fruitful pathway to understanding processual and dynamic language education policy processes, taking both child agency and researcher agency into account as it constantly emerges and intra-acts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers and practitioners nowadays are convinced that social and emotional skills (SES) are a crucial element in human development. Numerous scientific research studies and international and national reports show the significance of attaining SES in the early years. Supporting the development and improvement of social and emotional skills in children from an early age increases to a great extent their chances of success in school, work, and life. This will influence on one-hand side children's level of development as a whole, not only in the field of the social and emotional domain, but also has an influence on their families, kindergarten and school community, and the overall society. The EU-SELF project presents an innovative approach that integrates scientific knowledge and proficiency in the realm of SES with its applied implementation into educational practices. Within the framework of the project, a Europe-wide webbased platform was developed. It provides reliable, professional and user-friendly information on SES states regarding several key areas like skills development, their assessment, and approaches to interventions for early childhood education and care (ECEC) (i.e., children aged 0 to 7 years old). Some of the project outputs are (1) country-specific SES descriptions for all the European countries, (2) a program SES compendium for Europe, (3) SES assessment measure compendium, and (4) a systematic review. The EU-Self platform functions as both a repository of information and a means of communication and exchange for early childhood education and care providers, teachers, researchers, stakeholders, and experts in Europe and worldwide. It supports the achievement of EU key priorities, raises awareness and promotes SES development in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing consensus in early childhood education and care (ECEC) that intentional teaching is pivotal for deep level learning, especially when teaching scientific concepts. However, intentional teaching alone does not always account for how educators communicate their intentions with children. To bridge this gap, we explore the possibilities of integrating the concepts of learning intentions and success criteria in play-based learning. Learning intentions and success criteria are practised in schools and are considered effective in enhancing learning outcomes and assessment. In ECEC, an emergent body of literature has started to examine how formative assessments could be incorporated into teaching to support children's self-regulation through play. To extend this research area, we investigate Australian early childhood educators' perspectives on implementing learning intentions and success criteria as a practice of intentional teaching focusing on mathematics. Based on the initial findings from a Design-based research project, we propose an integrated pedagogical framework for play-based environments. Implications for practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines different rationalities for parental involvement in their children's early childhood education and care (ECEC). Starting from Foucault's governmentality and the context of the transforming and diversifying Czech preschool system, it analyzes parents' rationalities for their involvement in ECEC and discusses how they relate to the neoliberal ideal of the responsible autonomous family. Analyzing data from interviews with parents in six ECEC facilities with different characteristics, it identifies five rationalities for parental involvement and shows how the neoliberal processes of responsibilization and autonomization play a central role in the (de)legitimization of these parental rationalities. Reflecting on how the rationalities of parental involvement gain or lose legitimacy in relation to dominant norms and ideals helps ECEC students and practitioners to understand how social inequalities are potentially exacerbated through the promotion/expectation of certain forms of parental involvement in parent – ECEC facility relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Good-quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) has been shown to benefit children from low socio-economic backgrounds the most, starting from a very early age. Yet in many countries ECEC usage by such children is lower than that of their more fortunate peers. We study inequalities in the availability and affordability of local ECEC services in Hungary across neighbourhoods of different socio-economic status because these factors have been found to be key for ECEC uptake in many settings. Hungary is an interesting case because the potential to reduce child poverty is high. We find that publicly-funded ECEC availability for children under age 3 is lower in poorer areas in Hungary even after controlling for proxies of demand, regional effects and the known issue of low ECEC density in smaller settlements. Formal ECEC through the private sector is also scarcer in poorer areas but we do not find evidence that it is less affordable than in richer areas using a stylised family affordability metric. Our study not only expands the geographical dimension of the literature but also adds particular value by studying the private-sector pricing of ECEC services in the context of demand unsatisfied by the public sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review concerns how quality in ECEC is thematized and examined in Norwegian research published in 2010–2021. The review contributes to developing relevant professional knowledge and insight into what quality in ECEC is, should be or can be. A systematic scoping review includes 97 empirical studies of quality in the Norwegian ECEC context. The results show an increase in studies addressing quality after the year 2017. Most studies use interviews and observations, i.e., qualitative data. Research based on quantitative studies mainly applies to questionnaires, whereas multi-method designs occur with the third greatest frequency. The majority of the studies are descriptive or explore relationships. A few studies concern method development, interventions or reviews of the literature. ECEC staff and ECEC teachers are the most common informants. Two-thirds of the studies included were published in English, and only one-third were published in Norwegian. Thematically, process quality emerges as the most studied dimension of quality, dominated by investigating the aspect of staff–child interactions. About one-third of the studies investigate structural quality, with most attention paid to the physical environment and the organization of the ECEC provisions. Less research is directed at result (outcome) quality and curriculum quality. This overview contributes to increased knowledge about how quality is understood and used in research, as an essential prerequisite for creating a safe and sound everyday life for children in ECEC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The creating healthy eating and active environments survey (CHEERS) is an audit tool used to assess the nutrition and physical activity environment in early childhood education and care (ECEC) centres. Availability of the tool has been limited to paper-based versions. Digital health initiatives offer improved reach and immediacy of support for community-based clients through novel technology products. In order to provide increased access to the CHEERS tool, an online version was developed. The objective of this study was to assess the reliability of an online version of CHEERS. Methods Utilizing a randomized crossover design, ECEC educators completed either a paper-based or online-based survey and then the opposite mode with a two to three-week interval. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC, with 95% confidence interval) was used to determine the reliability between test and retest. Absolute index of reliability in the original measurement was assessed through the standard error of measurement (SEM = SD × √1-ICC). The smallest amount of change not due to inherent variation was assessed by determining minimal detectable change at the 95% confidence level (MDC95 = SEM × 1.96 ×√2; MDC95% = MDC95/mean ×100). Results Test–retest reliability was good to excellent for the online-based CHEERS total score (ICC = 0.86) and for each of the four subscales: food served (ICC = 0.82), healthy eating environment (ICC = 0.76), program planning (ICC = 0.76), and physical activity environment (ICC = 0.79). The SEM, MDC95, and MDC95% for the CHEERS overall score were 0.79, 2.19, and 9.6%, respectively. Conclusions The results of this study demonstrate that the online-based and paper-based versions of the CHEERS audit tool share comparable accuracy. The CHEERS tool can be reliably implemented in an online environment and this provides users an alternative means to complete the centre-based health assessment. The advantage of the online-based version includes user accessibility and the potential to develop a feedback response for participants using digitally collected data.

In this study, the use of the term movement in the Framework Plan for the Content and Tasks of Kindergartens (hereinafter, the “framework plan”) was investigated. Movement is understood as crucial for the core values in the framework plan, as it creates the base for children’s play, exploration, learning, care, and formative development. Through a document analysis, this enquiry examined whether the use of the term movement in the framework plan supports the steering document’s focus on the intrinsic value of childhood. This enquiry was guided by the research question, “How is the term movement outlined and used in the Framework Plan for the Content and Tasks of Kindergartens?” The analysis consisted of a word search, identifying how often, when, and in relation to what the term was used. Furthermore, this article discusses the implications of the use of the term for the underlying understanding of movement in children’s lives. We postulated that providing a clearer rationale for meeting, celebrating, and working with different approaches to movement in the framework plan could create a more substantial base for didactic designs and further research focusing on movement not only as motor skills but also as exploration, participation, communication, and a kinesthetic way of understanding oneself and one’s surroundings.

Our aim is to investigate how Sámi early childhood education and care institutions (ECECs) contextualise their work to support psychosocial well-being among children aged 4–6. We have conducted seven qualitative interviews among ECEC educators. Using Stepwise Deductive Induction (SDI) analysis we found that Sámi ECECs contextualise their work to support psychosocial well-being among children by constantly balancing between dealing with the possible consequences of Norwegianisation and the assimilation process from the past and highlighting Sámi culture in a positive way. In practice the staff try to support the children’s positive sense of self, recognition and feeling a sense of belonging to the Sámi culture. They also strive to contextualise Sámi practices in terms of today’s society and adjust to the present group of staff, children, and parents to ensure the children’s well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early learning agendas are currently being introduced in early childhood education and care (ECEC) by transnational organizations such as the EU and OECD. In this paper, we focus on Denmark, where such agendas interweave with a pedagogical tradition emphasizing a child-centered approach and children's play. Based on ethnographic research, we explore learning agendas as part of practice in ECEC centers, pursuing the situated meanings of a learning program as part of everyday practice in ECEC centers from three different perspectives: of children, professionals and managers. Informed by psychological and anthropological traditions, this design employs an agentic stance and conceptualizes children, professionals and managers as subjects actively contributing to the co-creation, transformation and translation of policies in everyday contexts. Key findings suggest that the appropriation of national and international learning agendas in ECEC settings characterized by local traditions is an ambiguous process. On the one hand, the learning program's structure can support existing professional practices and traditions. On the other hand, the program's focus on learning goals and evaluation practices reduces the focus on pedagogy and supports administrative and political logics, which in turn marginalizes important knowledge about children and their engagements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inherent physical, chemical and morphological properties of soils in a place greatly determine the agronomic activities carried out in the place. Soils with high ECEC, high base saturation, low bulk density, high organic matter content, high silt clay ratio, etc. show high soil fertility. The toposequence in Eziama, Ikeduru which was formed from coastal plain sand was delineated into three physiographic units, summit middle slope and valley bottom. One profile pit was studied in each of the units. The profile pits were described with the procedure as recommended by Food and Agricultural Organization and soil samples from identifiable horizons were subjected to laboratory analyses. Coefficient of variation was used to measure the variation amongst selected properties. Selected soil properties were also correlated to measure the relationship existing between these properties. The data obtained showed that the color varied from dusky red (2.5 YR 3/2) to red (2.5 YR 5/8) and generally became brighter down the profiles. The texture ranged from sandy clay loam at the B horizons to sandy loam at the A horizons. The silt clay ratio ranged from 0.039 to 0.549, showing that more advanced weathering has taken place in the soils of the studied area. Organic carbon ranged from 1.2 to 13.6 g/kg and generally decreased down the pits. Total nitrogen was generally low and ranged from 0.34 to 1.1 g/kg. The ECEC of the area was also low, indicative of effects of leaching which is predominant in soils formed on coastal plain sands. The percentage base saturation ranged from 23.3 to 66.98%. The pH ranged from 5.37 to 4.82 (strongly acidic to very strongly acidic). The C:N ratio ranged from 3.4 to 16.59. The fertility status of the soils was generally low due to the low Ca:Mg ratio, low K:Mg ratio, high C:N ratio, low pH., the soils belong to the soil order Ultisols. The soil at the summit was classified as Inceptic hapludult, that of the middle slope as Typic hapludult and that of the valley bottom as Arenic paleudult. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to investigate in what ways kindergarten teachers explain their understanding and practices of education for sustainable development. The study uses the term “green sustainability” to refer to the concept of caring for nature, the environment, and the earth’s climate in ways which meet basic human needs and preserve them for future generations. The data are generated from six focus groups conducted in 2020. The sample is comprised of 23 kindergarten teachers representing six kindergartens. Analyses of the data material revealed the following theme-based categories: 1) digital, multimodal resources, 2) experiences in nature, 3) from farm to fork, 4) sorting garbage and food waste, and 5) avoiding waste. The findings indicate that existing practices are largely in accordance with longstanding traditions within the kindergartens. The study also indicates that there is a need for critical and reflective practices to meet the needs of children in developing a nascent understanding of sustainable development. Currently, 21st century skills that can be applied to sustainability challenges include critically evaluating different pieces of information, connecting knowledge, collaborating creatively, and communicating across disciplines.

Background: The creating healthy eating and active environments survey (CHEERS) is an audit tool used to assess the nutrition and physical activity environment in early childhood education and care (ECEC) centres. Availability of the tool has been limited to paper-based versions. Digital health initiatives offer improved reach and immediacy of support for community-based clients through novel technology products. In order to provide increased access to the CHEERS tool, an online version was developed. The objective of this study was to assess the reliability of an online version of CHEERS. Methods: Utilizing a randomized crossover design, ECEC educators completed either a paper-based or online-based survey and then the opposite mode with a two to three-week interval. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC, with 95% confidence interval) was used to determine the reliability between test and retest. Absolute index of reliability in the original measurement was assessed through the standard error of measurement (SEM = SD × √1-ICC). The smallest amount of change not due to inherent variation was assessed by determining minimal detectable change at the 95% confidence level (MDC95 = SEM × 1.96 ×√2; MDC95% = MDC95/mean ×100). Results: Test–retest reliability was good to excellent for the online-based CHEERS total score (ICC = 0.86) and for each of the four subscales: food served (ICC = 0.82), healthy eating environment (ICC = 0.76), program planning (ICC = 0.76), and physical activity environment (ICC = 0.79). The SEM, MDC95, and MDC95% for the CHEERS overall score were 0.79, 2.19, and 9.6%, respectively. Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrate that the online-based and paper-based versions of the CHEERS audit tool share comparable accuracy. The CHEERS tool can be reliably implemented in an online environment and this provides users an alternative means to complete the centre-based health assessment. The advantage of the online-based version includes user accessibility and the potential to develop a feedback response for participants using digitally collected data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is near consensus that early childhood education and care (ECEC) is essential to children's early development. A common corollary is that early learning will be pivotal to helping redress inequities in educational outcomes. We examine whether this is true among rural communities in the Indian states of Assam, Rajasthan, and Telangana. Specifically, we assess whether learning gains for the most disadvantaged are retained in comparison to more advantaged children who had lower initial learning levels. We find that lower-achieving, more advantaged children (as measured by mother's education) soon overtake higher-achieving but less advantaged children. In contrast, higher-achieving girls remain ahead of lower-achieving boys in Assam and Telangana, although they are caught up in Rajasthan. Given the differing patterns across the states, we explore the extent to which these may be shaped by their respective social and policy contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pedagogical leadership is being increasingly promoted as a participative form of leadership that represents a departure from the traditional understanding that there is only one leader in an institution. In the case of a kindergarten, in addition to the headteacher, teachers should also practice pedagogical leadership at the level of a particular kindergarten group. In order to be ready to apply various aspects of pedagogical leadership in everyday practice, teachers' need knowledge and skills to effectively solve various professional challenges, but also a responsible approach, i.e. awareness of the importance of pedagogical leadership competences. Research was conducted with the aim of exploring teachers' readiness to use pedagogical leadership in kindergarten groups, measured by self-assessment of the developed competences and the assessment of the importance of particular competences for pedagogical leadership. In addition, the significance of group differences in the mentioned (self) assessment was also looked into. The results show that teachers perceive themselves best prepared to respect diversity and multiculturalism and to build trust and collaborative relationships with children, while they are least prepared to apply new technologies in their work, invest in professional development, and involve parents in their work. Certain statistically significant differences were found among teachers with regard to their initial education, work experience and working conditions (developed competences) and working conditions (importance of competences for pedagogical leadership). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Barn: Forskning om Barn og Barndom i Norden is the property of Cappelen Damm Akademisk and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Barn: Forskning om Barn og Barndom i Norden is the property of Cappelen Damm Akademisk and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Conducting a survey with refugee populations involves particular challenges. Among these challenges, sampling, implementation and survey translation are crucial. This becomes even more obvious when trying to access hard-to-survey subgroups of a larger refugee population. This paper demonstrates possible ways of addressing sampling, implementation and translation problems and some of the associated pitfalls based on the example of a quantitative survey intended for refugee parents in the state of Lower Saxony/Germany. First, we argue that based on the need to collect representative data, adjusting the target population may be one way to respond to the lack of a sampling frame for the original target population. Second, we reason that under unforeseen circumstances, such as an ongoing pandemic, ad-hoc changes may be needed in implementation strategies, and we shed light on some disadvantages of self-administered web-based surveys in refugee studies. Third, we claim that surveys involving linguistically and culturally diverse refugee populations benefit to large extent from using a modified variant of the team translation approach (TRAPD). In our conclusion, we critically reflect on adaptable strategies for ensuring well-defined samples, a reasoned implementation and translation practice that meet the challenges of representing a distinct refugee population's diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peer rejections impair children's well-being in ECEC, impede their social and emotional development, and increase the risk of multiple forms of peer adversities. This study explores children's need for empathy when experiencing rejections from peers in free play situations in ECEC. The data were collected through video-recorded dialogical interviews with children between three and a half and six years of age and analysed within a phenomenological hermeneutical approach. The findings show that children's need for empathy was most dominantly initiated by the wish to play and experience belonging, and this need was felt in relation to other children as well as ECEC staff. The findings highlight the importance of the ECEC practitioner's being present and available for emotional and social support for children in play negotiations, as well as her or his involvement in facilitating participation, encouraging children's empathic expressions, and promoting inclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intergenerational programs have benefits for both children and older adults; however, the ongoing pandemic has changed social situations across the globe. The focus of this article is on exploring transitions and transformations due to societal conditions and demands that drive the implementation of intergenerational programs during a time of a global crisis that is the COVID-19 pandemic. Through an online survey form and focus group discussion, a total of 64 kindergarten practitioners shared their perspectives on intergenerational programs between young children and older adults in kindergartens in Norway. Kindergarten practitioners identified challenges that hinder intergenerational programs in kindergarten settings during the pandemic, as well as conditions that facilitate its implementation. Implications from this research indicate the need to think differently to be able to provide children with intergenerational experiences in kindergarten settings in Norway even during the pandemic and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Christmas plays an important role in kindergartens in all the Nordic countries. While for many, Christmas is a time for belonging, for others it is a time for withdrawal or longing. This article applies ethnographic data to examine how staff and children manage Christmas in the context of a religiously diverse Norwegian kindergarten. Describing how Christmas dominates the kindergarten from late November and through December, I analyze how this affects children’s practices, narratives, and opportunities to belong. Building on Yuval-Davies’ concept of the politics of belonging, I develop a typology of four interrelated ways of navigation: identification, silence, separation, and imagination. This typology illuminates how children may be affected by the politics of belonging, but also how their agency and creativity lead to different ways of navigation, influencing processes of belonging. By providing a child-centered perspective on belonging, this article provides an empirically based contribution to discussions about inclusivity relating to religious and cultural diversity in ECEC.

Movement and physical activity (MoPA) are critical to children's health and development. Many children aged 1–5 years are enrolled in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) in Sweden, and high expectations are placed on educators to deliver education of sufficient quality to support children's development. The aim of the 18-month-long action-based study was to investigate how 88 ECEC educators in five preschools perceived and experienced the priority and teaching of MoPA. The educators planned and implemented MoPA sessions among children. They filmed sequences from the sessions, which were shown in the focus groups and were the starting point for the collegial discussions. Content analysis of the focus group discussions revealed three themes: Teaching aspects; Educational aspects; Structural aspects, with associated subthemes. During the project with the trial-and-error MoPA teaching, the educators detected insufficient PCK to teach MoPA and that teaching was often replaced with free play. Increased metacognition made the educators aware of children's different MoPA levels and that free play did not always increase all children's skills. The perceived insufficient pedagogical content knowledge to teach MoPA was perceived as a troublesome barrier for promoting MoPA. During the project, the educators' metacognition about MoPA increased, which made the educators aware of children's different MoPA levels and that free play did not always increase all children's skills. Despite of increased metacognition, most of the educators were not ready to leave their comfort zones and were not open to extra work or effort when it came to MoPA. However, the educators demonstrated the need for improved education in MoPA in early childhood teacher education, as well as the need for continuous education for working educators in ECEC to enhance the pedagogic content knowledge for adequate teaching in MoPA, which is important for children's present development and future health.

I studien undersøker jeg hvorfor enslige kvinner som har fått barn ved hjelp av en sædgiver, velger å orientere barnehagen om sin bruk av donor, og hvordan de informerte om det. Totalt 29 av de 33 mødrene valgte å orientere barnehagen. Hovedgrunnen til å være åpne var å få anerkjennelse for sin familieform, at barnehagen skulle kunne besvare spørsmål fra barnet deres og andre, og å støtte barnets opplevelse av sammenheng. Mødrene informerte aktivt, både skriftlig og muntlig. Både ansatte, barn og foreldre fikk informasjon.

Social innovation and empowerment are complex concepts that, from an analytical point of view, are not necessarily related. One explicit goal of social innovation is to empower communities, as well as the individuals that are involved in activities within those communities, but this does not necessarily always occur. Here we address the question 'Does social innovation in early childhood education and care (ECEC) empower women?' First, we explore whether the projects we examine can be defined as social innovations. Second, we analyse to what extent arrangements that are identified as innovative in ECEC empower the mothers who choose them. We argue that if the characteristics of a particular social innovation project enhance or reinforce the capabilities of the women who participate in it, that experience will most probably empower them; if not, this is unlikely to occur. Our empirical material includes 37 interviews with key informants, educators, and mothers involved in these non-institutionalized projects, collected in Barcelona. Our results reveal the socioeconomic bias in these projects, as well as the costs derived for both sets of participants (mothers and educators). They also show the wider social impact that stems from these projects being under-regulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review concerns how quality in ECEC is thematized and examined in Norwegian research published in 2010–2021. The review contributes to developing relevant professional knowledge and insight into what quality in ECEC is, should be or can be. A systematic scoping review includes 97 empirical studies of quality in the Norwegian ECEC context. The results show an increase in studies addressing quality after the year 2017. Most studies use interviews and observations, i.e., qualitative data. Research based on quantitative studies mainly applies to questionnaires, whereas multi-method designs occur with the third greatest frequency. The majority of the studies are descriptive or explore relationships. A few studies concern method development, interventions or reviews of the literature. ECEC staff and ECEC teachers are the most common informants. Two-thirds of the studies included were published in English, and only one-third were published in Norwegian. Thematically, process quality emerges as the most studied dimension of quality, dominated by investigating the aspect of staff–child interactions. About one-third of the studies investigate structural quality, with most attention paid to the physical environment and the organization of the ECEC provisions. Less research is directed at result (outcome) quality and curriculum quality. This overview contributes to increased knowledge about how quality is understood and used in research, as an essential prerequisite for creating a safe and sound everyday life for children in ECEC.

The importance of professional learning and development for quality in kindergartens has been established in international research. The fact that the kindergarten is a learning organization can be crucial in achieving necessary professional learning. The aim of this study was to investigate what characterizes Norwegian kindergartens as learning organizations. Our research question is: What kind of understanding do kindergarten managers have of a learning organization, what do they believe that a kindergarten must learn about and what do they perceive as characteristics of a learning kindergarten? We have conducted qualitative interviews with five kindergarten managers. The findings point to joint reflection as a key characteristic of a learning kindergarten. However, kindergartens struggle to make reflection a natural part of a day-to-day practice. Consequently, kindergartens fail to utilize an important potential for professional learning. Hence, we conclude that there is an untapped potential for professional learning and development in Norwegian kindergartens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interpretation in cross-language qualitative research presents a range of methodological and ethical challenges. Among these are the interpreters' influence on data generation and interview power dynamics. Having translators review and/or produce an independent translation of recorded interview material for comparative purposes is regarded as one of the ways researchers can control for these challenges. However, there are other reasons why translations of interpreted materials are valuable. This paper explores these issues by reporting an interview focused on investigating the experiences of a non-Icelandic family as their child made the transition to an Icelandic preschool. In this case, the interpreter influenced data generation in a semi-structured interview; a situation that was only fully revealed in follow-up translation. The findings suggest that while the follow-up translation demonstrates discrepancies and the interpreter's tendency to modify both questions and responses during the interview, comparative analysis of the oral interpretation and translation of the interview text opens up new dimensions in the data that would otherwise have gone unnoticed by the researcher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This thematic section editorial gives an overview of the three related articles introducing the programs Papilio-3to6, Papilio-U3, and Papilio-6to9. The essential, connecting elements are presented (developmentally appropriate prevention, social-emotional learning [SEL], and developmentally appropriate practice) and the relation between the three programs is explained in the context of an overarching educational approach from 0 to 9 to early childhood education and care (ECEC). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is a qualitative study, based on group discussions reported from two workshops involving headteachers and pedagogical leaders in three kindergartens in Norway. The result shows the viewpoints of kindergarten teachers concerning quality in the development of play and learning environments in kindergartens. What the kindergarten teachers (headteachers and pedagogical leaders) highlight is the facilitation of an inspiring play and learning environment, leadership and collaboration, the role of adults, the participation of children and employees, as well as the importance of documentation in terms of reflection and the development of pedagogical practice. What appears is a child-centred value base, focusing on the staff, who facilitate and support the children. In essence, the process quality is highlighted and described as essential for developing quality in the play and learning environment in the kindergarten, though structural, content, and result quality are also affected. The structural conditions seem to have received increased attention due to the changes experienced in kindergartens after the Covid pandemic and the restrictions that followed. These changes seem to provide new perspectives on the value of cooperation, the opportunity for collective reflection and the importance of process work, all of which have been indicated by informants and the research field as essential to ensuring good quality in the kindergarten. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I examine the relative poverty risk among single-parent households in countries that have a large share of households with dual earners. Data from the Luxembourg Income Study (LIS) Database are used to analyze eighteen OECD countries in the period 1984 to 2010. I find that single parents face higher relative income poverty risks in countries with a large share of dual-earner households and that this higher risk of poverty is related to higher standards of living in those countries: higher standards of living have raised poverty thresholds, and single-parent incomes are less likely to reach those higher poverty thresholds. I also find that this overall pattern varied across institutional contexts: a rise of dual-earner households puts single parents at a disadvantage only in countries that have relatively low public expenditures on childcare and relatively low income transfer policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Young children's play is theorized to develop executive functions, skills strongly predictive of many later advantages. The current study sought to validate a practicably short play behavior survey for kindergarten teachers (N = 18) and compare the reported behaviors to the executive functions (EFs) of their 443 Russian kindergarteners (M age = 78.6 months; SD = 4.04). Research Findings: The factor model with satisfactory construct validity and internal consistency included three factors: leadership, play preferences and rule conformity. Analyses provide partial support for Vygotsky's theory that play supports EF development, but particular behaviors were related to different EF components. However, kindergarteners exhibiting more leadership, preferences and conformity overall rated higher on most EF components. Practice and Policy: These findings do not support the theory that play skills improve unidirectionally with age and EFs, suggesting particular profiles of types of players and complex changes with age. The play behavior survey may be a practicable way to trace different profiles across the early years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study seeks to explore how the belonging and participation, as well as its related concepts, are framed in the national curriculum guidelines of the Netherlands, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. We employed a scoping study with concept-mapping methodology. The results reveal macro level principles related to human rights and values, multiliteracy and language, policy measures and ideologies. Meso level principles stressed that education is supposed to guarantee a child's overall development and skills acquisition, participation involvement in the activities related to a child's environment and cultural heritage. The micro level principles were indicative of the need for inclusive and accessible physical and social environments, along with teaching methods which foster positive attitudes about diversity and teachers' expertise levels to address diversity. We also found the importance of designing opportunities that encourage socializing, building relationships, and belongingness. Additionally, the results show how frequently the chosen key concepts are represented in the guidelines. Based on our study we can conclude that curriculum guidelines do not provide sufficent frameworks for promoting children's belonging and participation. Further exploration on those concepts is needed, along with increased scholarly attention within the spheres of ECEC and compulsory education practice to enable inclusion for all children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the SAGA project is to support children's social-emotional development and teacher mentalizing by promoting regular shared story-book reading with mentalizing dialogs in early childhood education and care (ECEC) centers. The theoretical phase, the modeling phase (Phase I), and the exploratory phase (Phase II) of the SAGA intervention, as well as the research protocol for the final trial (Phase III), are described in the present article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reading picture books in the first language (L1) before rereading them in the second language (L2) is assumed to be beneficial for young dual language learners (DLLs). This pilot study examined how sharing digital picture books in L1 or L2 at home before reading them in L2 in kindergarten affected L2 book-specific vocabulary learning and story comprehension. Participants were 14 three- and four-year-old children who spoke Polish at home and learned Norwegian as their second language. Even when DLLs were less advanced in L2, reading first in L1 was not advantageous for L2 vocabulary learning. Characteristics of caregiver–child interactions during the reading of digital picture books in L2 may explain why home reading in L2 was more beneficial than reading in L1 for less proficient young L2 learners.

BackgroundYoung children’s play is theorized to develop executive functions, skills strongly predictive of many later advantages. The current study sought to validate a practicably short play behavior survey for kindergarten teachers (N = 18) and compare the reported behaviors to the executive functions (EFs) of their 443 Russian kindergarteners (Mage = 78.6 months; SD = 4.04).Research FindingsThe factor model with satisfactory construct validity and internal consistency included three factors: leadership, play preferences and rule conformity. Analyses provide partial support for Vygotsky’s theory that play supports EF development, but particular behaviors were related to different EF components. However, kindergarteners exhibiting more leadership, preferences and conformity overall rated higher on most EF components.Practice and PolicyThese findings do not support the theory that play skills improve unidirectionally with age and EFs, suggesting particular profiles of types of players and complex changes with age. The play behavior survey may be a practicable way to trace different profiles across the early years.

La definizione delle peculiarità che caratterizzano la struttura del coordinamento pedagogico è intrinsecamente connessa alle potenzialità di sviluppo dei servizi “zerosei” e all’opportunità di innescare processi di riflessione e di rielaborazione circolari delle organizzazioni, garantendo nuovi e diversificati modelli di accompagnamento sociale e culturale. Il presente contributo intende descrivere nel dettaglio, attraverso un’analisi puntuale dei documenti normativi, il ruolo, le funzioni e le competenze del coordinatore pedagogico all’interno del sistema “zerosei”. A tal fine, il contributo dà conto dello sviluppo storico che ha accompagnato il configurarsi di tale professionalità e del dibattito inerente ai possibili sviluppi futuri. Ci si pone inoltre l’obiettivo di ridefinire tipologicamente la figura del coordinatore pedagogico all’interno delle dinamiche gestionali di innovazione e cambiamento possibili attraverso la coprogettazione tra servizi e territorio.