This study aims at describing the collaboration between Preschools, Schools and Child Health Centres in Sweden, in the best interests of the child. Since the 1940's, Child Health Care Centres have been a public and free option... [ view full abstract ]
This study aims at describing the collaboration between Preschools, Schools and Child Health Centres in Sweden, in the best interests of the child. Since the 1940's, Child Health Care Centres have been a public and free option for children from birth to starting school. At that time, only around 5 % of the children participated in day care settings or kindergartens. There was a close collaboration between the professionals, and nurses and doctors visited the preschools regularly.
Today, almost all Swedish children start attending preschools during their second year of life. However, since late 1970’s, there is no formal regulation of the collaboration, and thus, it is more or less up to individuals if there even exists a collaboration. In addition, this means that parents get very different support from these two services for children and it varies throughout Sweden.
Praxis around transition from preschool to school and children's health care in school are not satisfactory nor equal in Sweden.
In order to find out more, OMEP Sweden in collaboration with Stockholm University and Stockholm Regional Council sent out a questionnaire to in total around 1 000 preschools and child health care centres in 22 Swedish cities, together representing a balanced sample. Additionally, a questionnaire will be sent out to parents to get their experience and suggestions for the future. A pilot study, covering the transition from preschool to school, is also carried out, using qualitative interviews with nurses and teachers. Preliminary results indicate that collaboration seldom takes place, that the professionals don’t know each other, and that the on-going privatisation of preschools, schools and centres have made collaboration difficult.
The data is being analysed during the spring of 2017, and the results will be presented and discussed during the OMEP seminar.
