Understandings of care pedagogy: Opportunities of participation in everyday practice in Danish nurseries

This presentation explores care pedagogy in Danish nurseries, focusing on its impact on children's participation and inclusion. Based on my dissertation, it investigates how variations in daily interactions and pedagogical practices influence children's participation and inclusion within the nursery community. Employing a sociocultural perspective, the study examines care as a dynamic, relational process that both challenges and creates opportunities for participation. It highlights the importance of addressing the relational and value-based dimensions of care to enhance children's daily experiences and participation in early childhood settings. The presentation relates to Torben Næsby’s article, “A matter of organization? Perspectives on inclusion in Danish preschools measured by the ECERS-3,” and explores how my dissertation aligns with and extends the findings on the ECERS-3's latent dimension of inclusion. In relation to the ECERS-3 study, which emphasizes room arrangement, privacy space, and child-related displays, this research underscores the importance of institutional values and the relational environment in fostering inclusive practices. Both studies highlight the significance of program structure and interaction in creating inclusive educational settings. By situating the research within existing ECEC policies and sociocultural theories, the dissertation offers a nuanced understanding of how care practices in Danish nurseries can foster or hinder children's inclusion and participation. It underscores the importance of addressing the relational dimensions of care, as well as the institutional and pedagogical values that underpin these practices, to enhance children's daily experiences and developmental outcomes. This alignment with ECERS-3 findings emphasizes the need for inclusive strategies, practices, and cultures in Danish nurseries and preschools.