Att längta, söka, och bli sedd
hur yngre barn upplever och skapar välbefinnande på flerspråkig förskola
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64098/SVT.2025.32.54929Nyckelord:
well-being, young children, phenomenology, love, ethnography, participatory researchAbstract
This article explores how young children experience and create well-being in a multilingual preschool setting. Preschools are intended to promote children’s development, health, and well-being, yet they can also be understood as spaces of institutionalized adult control over children and childhood. Today, preschools are highlighted as particularly important for children with a mother tongue other than Swedish. Although interest in children’s well-being has grown, research on younger children’s well-being is dominated by adult perspectives, often overlooking how children themselves understand well-being. In light of the new Social Services Act’s strengthened responsibility for preventive work and the emphasized role of preschools for multilingual children, there is a need for nuanced knowledge about what well-being means for children in preschool. The aim of this article, grounded in a phenomenological approach, is to contribute to an understanding of how young children experience and create well-being in a multilingual preschool. The study was conducted through ethnographic and participatory fieldwork with fifteen children at the preschool “Katten.” The analysis shows that children’s understandings of well-being are framed by longing and waiting, and by everyday practices where well-being is created through seeking contact and being seen and acknowledged. Children actively participate in creating their own and others’ well-being by showing care, fostering togetherness, and engaging in reciprocal recognition. From the children’s perspectives, well-being emerges as a relational practice where small acts generate communities that can be understood as gestures of love. Finally, the article discusses the structural conditions of multilingual preschools for enabling recognition of children’s bodily expressions, connections to family, and life context. Implications for strengthening preschool and social services’ work with children’s well-being are presented.
Referenser
Ahmed, S. (2006). Queer phenomenology: orientations, objects, others. Duke University Press. https://doi.org/10.1515/9780822388074 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/9780822388074
Andresen, S., Bradshaw, J. & Kosher, H. (2019). Young Children’s Perceptions of their Lives and Well-Being. Child Indicators Research, 12(1), s. 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-018-9551-6 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-018-9551-6
Benckert, S., Håland, P. & Wallin, K. (2008). Flerspråkighet i förskolan – ett referens- och metodmaterial. Myndigheten för Skolutveckling.
Cornwall, J. M. & Park, H. (2022). Leaking and Containing: Researching With Children and the Sketchbook. Qualitative Inquiry, 28(8–9), s. 888–895. https://doi.org/10.1177/10778004221075247 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/10778004221075247
Davies, C. A. (2008). Reflexive ethnography: a guide to researching selves and others. 2. ed. Routledge.
DelBlanc, Å. (2022). Pedagogiska möjligheter i mångfaldens förskola. Diss. Linnéuniversitetet.
Einarsdottir, J., Juutinen, J., Emilson, A., Ólafsdóttir, S. M., Zachrisen, B. & Meuser, S. (2022). Children’s perspectives about belonging in educational settings in five European countries. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 30(3), s. 330–343. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2022.2055099 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2022.2055099
Emmison, M. (2011). Conceptualizing Visual Data. I Silverman, D. (red.) Qualitative Research 3. ed. Sage.
Engdahl, I. (2011). Toddlers as social actors in the Swedish preschool. Diss. Stockholms universitet. https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:su:diva-52643 [2025-10-01]
Fane, J., MacDougall, C., Jovanovic, J., Redmond, G. & Gibbs, L. (2020). Preschool Aged Children’s Accounts of their Own Wellbeing: are Current Wellbeing Indicators Applicable to Young Children? Child Indicators Research, 13(6), s. 1893–1920. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-020-09735-7 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-020-09735-7
Fattore, T., Fegter, S. & Hunner-Kreisel, C. (2019). Children’s Understandings of Well-Being in Global and Local Contexts: Theoretical and Methodological Considerations for a Multinational Qualitative Study. Child Indicators Research, 12(2), s. 385–407. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-018-9594-8 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-018-9594-8
Forte. (2023). Förskolans roll för att främja psykisk hälsa. Forskningsrådet för hälsa, arbetsliv och välfärd. https://forte.se/upptack-forskning/publikationer/forskning-i-korthet-forskolans-roll-for-att-framja-psykisk-halsa [2023-08-01]
Frykman, J. & Gilje, N. (2003). Being There. In Frykman, J., & Gilje, N. (red.). Being There. New Perspectives on Phenomenology and the Analysis of Culture. Nordic Academic Press.
Fukkink, R. G. (2022). Exploring children’s well-being in daycare: how do children feel all day? European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 30(5), s. 730–744. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2021.2007971 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2021.2007971
Geertz, C. (1973). The interpretation of cultures: Selected essays. Basic Books.
Gustafsson, K., Kaisso, N., Åberg, L. & Norström, E. (2025). Children as Linguistic Rights Holders in the Swedish Welfare System. Social Policy and Society: A Journal of the Social Policy Association, 24(1), s. 112–126. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1474746424000290 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1474746424000290
Gustafsson, K., Åberg, L., Gruber, S. & Norström, E. (2023). Social work in a multilingual world. Nordic Social Work Research, 13(4), s. 501–509. https://doi.org/10.1080/2156857X.2023.2274217 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/2156857X.2023.2274217
Gustafsson, B. M. (2018). Identifying Patterns of Emotional and Behavioural Problems in Preschool children: Facilitating Early Detection. Diss. Linköpings universitet. https://doi.org/10.3384/diss.diva-153581 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3384/diss.diva-153581
Hagen, A. L. & Osuldsen, J. B. (2021). Splotting som erfaringsbasert verktøy for medvirkning og stedsforståelse ved byromsutforming. Formakademisk, 14(1), s. 1–23. https://doi.org/10.7577/formakademisk.2586 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7577/formakademisk.2586
Holappa, T. & Leviner, P. (2025). Fattigdom, social barnavård och barns rättigheter: en rättsvetenskaplig analys. Socialvetenskaplig tidskrift, 31(3–4), s. 317–335. https://doi.org/10.3384/SVT.2024.31.3-4.5611 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3384/SVT.2024.31.3-4.5611
hooks, b. (2000). All about love: New visions. HarperCollins Publishers.
Jackson, M. (2005). Existential anthropology: events, exigencies and effects. Berghahn Books. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt1x76f0c DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt1x76f0c
James, A., Jenks, C. & Prout, A. (1998). Theorising Childhood. Polity Press.
Kommittédirektiv. (2024:38). Nationell samordnare för arbetet mot utanförskap. https://www.regeringen.se/contentassets/8a9c4865373e44ff97bbad114132be7c/dir.-202438-nationell-samordnare-for-arbetet-mot-utanforskap [2025-03-01]
Kommittédirektiv (2024:113). En likvärdig förskola av god kvalitet med obligatorisk språkförskola. https://www.regeringen.se/rattsliga-dokument/kommittedirektiv/2024/11/dir.-2024113 [2025-03-01]
Lunneblad, J. (2017). Integration of refugee children and their families in the Swedish preschool: strategies, objectives and standards. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 25(3), s. 359–369. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2017.1308162 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2017.1308162
Löthman, C. (2024). The Swedish Preschool as an Integration Arena. Diss. Linköpings universitet. https://doi.org/10.3384/9789180759366 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3384/9789180759366
Markström, A.-M. & Hallden, G. (2009). Children’s Strategies for Agency in Preschool. Children & Society, 23(2), s. 112–122. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1099-0860.2008.00161.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1099-0860.2008.00161.x
Mashford-Scott, A., Church, A., & Tayler, C. (2012). Seeking Children’s Perspectives on their Wellbeing in Early Childhood Settings. International Journal of Early Childhood, 44(3), s. 231–247. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13158-012-0069-7 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13158-012-0069-7
Moore, A. & Lynch, H. (2017). Understanding a child’s conceptualisation of well-being through an exploration of happiness: The centrality of play, people and place. Journal of Occupational Science, 25(1), s. 124–141. https://doi.org/10.1080/14427591.2017.1377105 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14427591.2017.1377105
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). (2019). Changing the Odds for Vulnerable Children. Building opportunities and resilience. https://www.oecd.org/publications/changing-the-odds-for-vulnerable-children-a2e8796c-en.htm [2022-03-01]
Papakosma, M. (2025). Policy responses to diversity in early childhood education and care: Setting the agenda and meeting the challenges. European Educational Research Journal EERJ, 24(1), s. 48–67. https://doi.org/10.1177/14749041231181935 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/14749041231181935
Persson, S. (2012). Förskolans betydelse för barns utveckling, lärande och hälsa. https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1410426/FULLTEXT01.pdf [2023-02-01]
Rapley, T. (2010). Som Pragmatics of Data Analysis. In Silverman, D., (red.). Qualitative Research: Theory, Method & Practice 3 ed. Sage.
Sandseter, E. B. H. & Seland, M. (2018). 4-6 year-Old Children’s Experience of Subjective Well-Being and Social Relations in ECEC Institutions. Child Indicators Research, 11(5), s. 1585–1601. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-017-9504-5 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-017-9504-5
Seland, M., Beate Hansen Sandseter, E. & Bratterud, Å. (2015). One- to three-year-old children’s experience of subjective wellbeing in day care. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 16(1), s. 70–83. https://doi.org/10.1177/1463949114567272 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1463949114567272
SFS 2025:400. Socialtjänstlag.
Skolverket. (2025a). Barn och personal i förskola hösten 2024. https://www.skolverket.se/getFile?file=13236 [2025-06-01]
Skolverket. (2025b). Läroplan för förskolan: Lpfö 18 reviderad 2025. 3 uppl., Norstedts juridik. https://www.skolverket.se/sok-publikationer/publikationsserier/styrdokument/2025/laroplan-for-forskolan---lpfo-18-reviderad-2025 [2025-08-01]
Spratt, J. (2016). Childhood wellbeing: what role for education? British Educational Research Journal, 42(2), s. 223–239. https://doi.org/10.1002/berj.3211 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/berj.3211
Statham, J. & Chase, E. (2010). Childhood Well-being: A Brief Overview. Childhood Well-Being Centre.
Tisdall, E. K., Davis, J. M. & Gallagher, M. (2009). (red.). Researching with Children and Young People: Research Design, Methods and Analysis. SAGE Publications Ltd. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446268315
Watson, D., Emery, C., Bayliss, P., Boushel, M. & McInnes, K. (2012). Children’s Social and Emotional Wellbeing in Schools: A critical perspective. The Policy Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.46692/9781847425324
Åkerblom, A. & Harju, A. (2021). The becoming of a Swedish preschool child? Migrant children and everyday nationalism. Children’s Geographies, 19(5), s. 514–525. https://doi.org/10.1080/14733285.2019.1566517 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14733285.2019.1566517
Åström, F. (2023). Everyday Life in Preschool – Swedish and International Approaches. Diss. Jönköping University. https://hj.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1804379/FULLTEXT01.pdf [2024-03-17]
Downloads
Publicerad
Referera så här
Nummer
Sektion
Licens
Copyright (c) 2026 Louise Eriksson, Sofia Enell, Mats Anderberg
Det här verket är licensierat under en Creative Commons Erkännande 4.0 Internationell-licens.
