The changing policy ideals for parental cooperation in early childhood education and care

The study investigates how transnational ideals of parental collaboration and the home learning environment (HLE) appear and are transformed in kindergarten policy documents in Denmark and Finland. The researchers study how relationships and boundaries between kindergarten and home are transformed in light of children’s learning and development, as well as how these ideals have evolved over time. The research question is: How do transnational ideals of parental collaboration and the home learning environment appear and transform in Danish and Finnish kindergarten policy documents published during the first two decades of the 2000s?

The study reveals that parental collaboration has been politicised in both countries, with a clearer integration of parents as part of the children’s learning process. In Denmark, concepts such as ‘home learning environment’ have gained more focus, while in Finland, the ideal of ‘partnership’ has dominated. Both countries have developed a policy in which educators are expected to guide parents in the children’s learning. The researchers conclude that this has led to the parental role becoming more educationalised, creating asymmetry between kindergarten staff and parents.

The data consists of OECD’s Starting Strong reports published between 2001 and 2021, as well as national policy documents from Denmark and Finland. The national documents include laws, guidelines and other steering documents and national recommendations governing kindergartens and parental collaboration. The analysis focuses on identifying how terms such as ‘parents’, ‘home’ and ‘collaboration’ are described, and how these expressions develop in relation to educators and the role of kindergarten. The documents were reviewed with focus on how the roles and responsibilities of parents and educators are formulated, paying particular attention to modalities such as ‘shall’ and ‘should’.

Schmidt, L. S., & Alasuutari, M. (2023). The changing policy ideals for parental cooperation in early childhood education and care. Global Studies of Childhood, 13(3), 232–244.