Evaluering av 2-årskontakten i barnehagene i Hamar kommune.

This study is an evaluation of the Norwegian municipality of Hamar's pilot scheme to transfer health checks for two-year-olds from health centres to kindergartens. The evaluation seeks to answer whether the standard of health checks in kindergartens is compliant with the standard at health centres. In 2006, Hamar municipality decided to launch an experiment involving health checks of two-year-olds and this forms the basis of the evaluation. Originally the checks were conducted by health centres. However, during the experiment, the checks were carried out in kindergartens. The staff at the kindergarten completed forms for the health centre, and only the children who had problems were sent to the health centre. The Eastern Norway Research Institute has evaluated the scheme.

The results show that the staff at kindergartens experience that the health centre does not have confidence in the evaluation practices of the kindergartens. The lack of confidence is manifested by the health centre constantly checking forms and asking many questions. The health centre recognises that kindergartens have an advantage as the staff are in daily contact with the children. The parents do not have the option of comparing evaluation practices, since only two of the parents have experience with the previous scheme. The study concludes that there is a need for clarification of roles among the staff in kindergartens and at health centres, respectively, as regards health checks of two-year-olds.

The evaluation is based on document analysis and focus group interviews with pedagogical managers in kindergartens and representatives from the municipal administration, the staff at health centres and the parents.

Schanke, T.; Andersen, T. (2008). Evaluering av 2-årskontakten i barnehagene i Hamar kommune. Lillehammer: Østlandsforskning.