The staff’s descriptions of participation interpreted from a community perspective

Abstract

The aim of this study is to contribute with knowledge about children’s participation in ECEC with focus on a community perspective. The study is based on semi-structured, individual interviews with six educators in three different Norwegian Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) institutions. The research question is: What conditions for participation appear through the staff’s descriptions of participation in the ECEC community? Four conditions for participation in the community were revealed in the analysis. These addressed participation according to 1) Unity 2) Children’s initiative and perspective 3) Acceptance/tolerance for diversity 4) ECEC institutional structures and rules. The intentions behind the educator’s actions also proved to be important for a democratic orientation towards creating conditions for participation in community.