Are needs in early childhood met by module based childcare centres?

Abstract

There has been a growing demand on childcare facilities in Norway the last couple of years, especially for children younger than three years old. Increasing the capacity for a large number of children and at the same time keeping the centres cost effective has led to new ways of organizing childcare centres in Norway. Research, on the other hand, describes the need for secure attachment between the infant and its caregivers as essential for the child’s emotional development, and also describes how stress may influence brain development during early childhood. In this thesis I go through literature and research concerning the youngest children’s psychological development and discuss how module based childcare centres are supposed to meet the youngest children’s needs in terms of emotional development and emotional support. I will also include interviews of staff from different childcare facilities. Module based childcare centres does not seem to be structured based on research on the youngest children need’s in terms of emotional development. Aspects as the physical arena, the pedagogic curriculum and increased flexibility are prioritized above the young child’s need for a predictable environment with secure relationships with stable care providers.