Kan daginstitutioner gøre en forskel? Erfaringer fra empirisk forskning og perspektiver for fremtiden.

The purpose of the study is to examine whether daycare centres can make a difference for socially marginalised children. The study focuses on the following five areas: identification of signals from socially marginalised children, general pedagogical principles, specific interventions for socially marginalised children, evaluations of child carers of the impact and importance of pedagogical professionalism.

The study shows that daycare centres can make a difference for marginalised children. This requires clear staff focus on the issue as well as long-term initiatives. The study shows, among other things, that the proportion of socially marginalised children at daycare centres varies significantly. 25% of the centres have less than 10% socially marginalised children, whereas 13% of the centres have 20-50% socially marginalised children. Half of the daycare centres have no special methods or interventions aimed at socially marginalised children. Moreover, in relation to the importance of pedagogical professionalism, the study suggests that it is important that the staff have the opportunity to develop their skills. For example, it is important that there is time for pedagogical reflection, communication and discussion of pedagogical professionalism at the centre. The study concludes that future interventions should:  1. focus on strengthening action competence in child carers, 2. be based on an innovative paradigm instead of focusing on shortcomings in each child, 3. be supported by the political and administrative system. For future interventions to be successful, two criteria must be met:  1. quality of the institutions must be based on existing targets, 2.the children’s benefits from being in daycare centres should be promoted by supporting their skills and ability to master their lives both now and in the longer term.

The study is an ethnographic study of efficacy and it is designed as a cross-sectional study. The data material used in the study includes questionnaire responses collected from 2,722 managers, qualified child carers and childcare assistants from approx. 1,000 centres as well as observations and interviews with staff at selected centres.

Jensen, B. (2007). Kan daginstitutioner gøre en forskel? Erfaringer fra empirisk forskning og perspektiver for fremtiden. I: Ploug, N. Social arv og social ulighed (1. udgave, S. 68-99). København: Hans Reitzel Forlag.