Inklusion i daginstitutioner: mellem pædagogik og arbejdsmiljø.

The purpose of this study is to describe the characteristics of successful inclusion of children with special needs in ECEC settings for 0-6-year-olds, and the occupational health and safety factors as well as the pedagogical factors that are essential for successful inclusion in ECEC.

The study suggests that ECEC centres and municipalities went through a major change with respect to inclusion work in the period from 2010 to 2014. A thorough review of collaboration between the institutions and the administration, the municipal pedagogical-psychological advice unit, players from the healthcare sector, support programmes, parents, etc. shows that positive results were achieved when the dialogue between all parties was successful. However, focus on costs and resources, discrepancies in technical terms and assessments, and demands for diagnoses have put a strain on maintaining a good dialogue. With respect to parent cooperation, the study suggests that parents can be divided into the following three categories, each of which requires different forms of cooperation in the efforts to achieve successful inclusion: 1) parents who are able to deal with their child having problems, 2) parents who have done well so far, but who find it difficult to handle their child’s difficulties, and 3) parents who find parenthood so difficult that it affects their child. The study furthermore shows that, during the period of investigation, the perception of inclusion underwent a shift in focus from special treatment of the individual child to the way the ECEC centre as a whole deals with children with problems. This shift in focus, which was recognised at all ECEC centres, was a challenge for the pedagogical staff and their relationships with other players, and contributed to crises, powerlessness and frustration, which in turn led to resignations and absence due to illness. It also caused changes in staff, supportive functions and pedagogical approaches, which altered the organisation. The study furthermore shows that resources are crucial for inclusion work, and that leaders must balance their loyalty towards the municipality with an independent management space internally. Inclusion work requires a high degree of cooperation and knowledge sharing between staff members at the ECEC centre, and the leader must create space for this. The study finds no indications that the size of an ECEC centre determines the centres’ potentials to successfully address the challenge of inclusion. However, it is crucial that the ECEC centres are able to establish clear and well-defined frameworks for the children in their everyday activities. Finally, the report presents a range of pedagogical, political-administrative and occupational health and safety recommendations.

The study design is based on the chronicle workshop method, which means that staff members from the same ECEC centre were gathered in groups of 6-10 persons for half a day, and were asked to describe and analyse specific programmes (of their own choosing), in which they had participated.  A total of 20 inclusion programmes were described and analysed, and 19 of these concerned boys. Overall, chronicle workshops were carried out at 10 Danish ECEC centres, which were geographically distributed throughout Denmark. The ECEC centres were described as well-functioning, and they were enrolled on the basis of advertisements and contacts with the Danish Union of Early Childhood and Youth Educators. The data material is thus drawn from a rather selected population and is used to identify issues which are essential for successful inclusion. The report presents the research results, which are reviews of repetitions across the chronicle workshops.

Albertsen, K., Kjær, B., Limborg, H.J. & Fournaise, M. (2015). Inklusion i daginstitutioner: mellem pædagogik og arbejdsmiljø. Valby: TeamArbejdsliv.