Å oppdage barn med motoriske utfordringer i barnehagen.

The study investigates how kindergarten staff detect and assess young children's need for motor development support. The research question is: What experiences do kindergarten staff have in detecting children with motor challenges?

The study concludes that it is the sum of several small observations that contravene expectations of what is considered normal motor behaviour, and that make employees suspect that a child is struggling motorically. Different views on what constitutes normal motor development can contribute to differences in what is identified, and consequently also affect the opportunities for further interdisciplinary collaboration around children with motor challenges. The researchers therefore encourage a critical discussion about the understanding of normal motor development and how to facilitate multiple, varied and dynamic understandings of normality regarding children's motor development.

The researchers recruited seven kindergarten employees (four kindergarten teachers, one special needs teacher, one child and youth worker and one occupational therapist) from two Norwegian kindergartens to participate in the study. The data collection was conducted using qualitative, semi-structured in-depth interviews. In one of the kindergartens, individual interviews were conducted, while a group interview was conducted in the other. The data analysis was performed using systematic text condensation.

Benden, N. M. L. F., & Söderström, S. (2021). "Å oppdage barn med motoriske utfordringer i barnehagen". Barn–forskning om barn og barndom i Norden, 39(2-3).