Younger children in ECEC: focus on the national steering documents in the Nordic countries

Abstract

The aim of this study was to review the national steering documents on early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, with the focus on children up to the age of three, posing the question: What do these documents tell us about ECEC for younger children in the Nordic early childhood settings? Methodologically, a qualitative document analysis was applied. The documents provide a picture of young children whose age, individual needs and a number of other factors, such as cultural background, should be taken into account in ECEC. These children learn holistically, in close interaction with their environment. Their safety and well-being are seen as paramount. The physical and social worlds of children expand with the help of experienced and sensitive educators. However, younger children are rarely addressed specifically in these documents. For instance, many important themes, such as the very beginning of the child's attendance in ECEC, are poorly explicated in them.

Keywords:

• children up to age three
• ECEC curricula
• Nordic countries
• document analysis

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on contributor

Maritta Hännikäinen is professor in early childhood education. Her research interests include children’s play, emotional well-being in day-care groups and development of learners’ communities, especially from the cultural-historical and activity theory perspectives. She participates actively in cross-European research projects, and has wide international networks; she is, for example, a member of the board of ICCP (International Council for Children’s Play), and an editor of Nordic Early Childhood Education Research (Nordisk Barnehageforskning) journal.