Development and change in disabled children's social participation assessed by parents in Norwegian daycare centres: 1999 - 2009

Abstract

The aim of the article was to explore if htere was any alteration in social participation with peers assessed by parents amongst children with disabilities from 1999 - 2009 and discuss the results in light of the education/welfare policies during the last decades, and internal developments in education/welfare policies regarding children under compulsory school age. The main finding is that disabled children have increased their social participation with peers in the period from 1999 - 2009. Gender, age and being in a segregated daycare setting, all had significant impact on participation with peers in 1999, but had lost their significance in 2009. The current study found that Norwegian daycare centres still have to be considered as social integrating institutions, even though in the period from 1999 to 2009, they have changed from being a care- and familily-supportive service to become a pedagogical service preparing children for school.