Ledelse af dagtilbud under forandring: En undersøgelse af ledelsesstruktur og lederfaglighed på dagtilbudsområdet. København: Væksthus for Ledelse. *B Væksthus for Ledelse (2007). Styrket ledelse gennem nye ledelsesstrukturer: Ledelse af dagtilbud under forandring.

The study describes management structures and management professionalism in the area of early childhood education and care. On the basis of managerial changes as a result of the local government reform for early childhood education and care, this study examines which new management structures are being implemented, and which new management skills are required.

The study shows that over two-thirds of the municipalities have decided or have planned to decide to implement new management structures at daycare centres. A variety of management models are in play. Therefore, the municipalities do not stick to one model, as two trends can be identified: a tendency to merge centres, and a tendency for new management structures to bring the management of kindergartens and schools in a local area together or to merge the management of several daycare centres. The object of this process is to enhance management, to make it more professional, and to improve application of the financial resources in the daycare centre area. According to representatives from local administrations, the challenges of this process are to develop new management competences, obtain support from staff at daycare centres and to renew inter-professional collaboration. The initiative to implement new management structures is more often instigated by the administrative staff than by politicians (in 81% of the cases). The study concludes that the tendency to concentrate the management function of daycare centres represents the new political requirement for quality and efficiency in the field. The tendency for hierarchic management has created two opposing, complementary or competitive profiles:  Either focus is on strategy and administration, or focus is on professionalism and the daily work. According to the respondents in this study, the legitimacy of the new structures and (the distribution of duties between) the new management profiles are still being challenged.

The study is an overview study. Representatives from local government administrations in 85 of the 98 Danish municipalities participated in the study. Væksthus for Ledelse operates with four categories in relation to municipalities’ modified organisation of management work in early childhood education and care: merged institutional management, network management or network organisation, area management and district management.

Jørgensen, O. (2007). Ledelse af dagtilbud under forandring: En undersøgelse af ledelsesstruktur og lederfaglighed på dagtilbudsområdet. København: Væksthus for Ledelse. *B Væksthus for Ledelse (2007). Styrket ledelse gennem nye ledelsesstrukturer: Ledelse af dagtilbud under forandring. København: Væksthus for Ledelse.