Developing professional ethical care through co-creation in ECEC in Norway: A qualitative study

Anne Synnøve  Brenne; Ingvild Amot

doi:10.37291/2717638X.202452408

Authors

Anne Synnøve Brenne Norwegian University of Science and Technology https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6398-7883
Ingvild Amot Queen Maud University College https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2954-8032

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37291/2717638X.202452408

Keywords:

Promotion of mental health, Early childhood education and care, Ethical care, Professional learning, Co-creating collective competence, Compassionate pedagogy

Abstract

The article analogizes findings from the project Children in Central Norway, Mental Health in ECEC. A preventive factor for children’s mental health in early childhood education and care (ECEC) is the sensitive relationship between children and staff. ECEC staff in three municipalities participated in a competence-raising package for children’s mental health. Subsequently, 33 members of staff attended five focus-group interviews. Research question: In what way have ECEC staff’s experience changes in their relationship with the children after working with the competence-raising package for mental health, and what kind of processes appeared during this work? The qualitative data has been analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, while the discussion is rooted in ethics of care and based on children’s rights. The findings show that the staff describe the development of compassionate pedagogy and a common language for children’s needs for attachment. This facilitates a collective professional language through co-creating processes and affects the relational quality in ECEC.

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