Swedish early childhood, education and care (ECEC) and integration state initiatives and local strategies / Anne-Li Lindgren, Tünde Puskás ; Deutsches Jugendinstitut e.V.

Abstract

Preface: Early childhood education and care (ECEC) is key to ensure equal opportunities for children, particularly for those whose mother tongue differs from the local language. Yet, disparities in ECEC enrolment based on childrens‘ ethnic origin persist, both in Germany and elsewhere. For this reason, the International Centre for Early Childhood Education and Care (ICEC) at the German Youth Institute (Deutsches Jugendinstitut, DJI) carries out research on unequal opportunities for children from migrant families to participate in ECEC. The LoKi research project on local governance and inclusive ECEC in migrant societies (Lokale Steuerung und bedarfsorientierte Kindertagesbetreuung in Migrationsgesellschaften; 2024-2026) explores the institutional interfaces of early childhood education policies and integration policies in Germany and Sweden - two countries that experience continous migration. The aim of the study is to better understand local approaches and cross-sector cooperation in the making of inclusive ECEC service provision in the two countries. Taking on a comparative perspective, a closer exmination of the institutional context related to integration in the selected countries is needed, including current policies as well as key actors and their responsibilities. To this purpose, in addition to own desk research in Germany, the ICEC has comissioned an expert report on integration policy measures in early childhood education in Sweden. Prof Anne-Li Lindgren from Stockholm University, and Prof Tünde Puskás from Linköping University, have compiled the report at hand on current developments on this topic. We take this opportunity to thank Prof Lindgren and Prof Puskás for supporting our project with their valuable expertise and for a very fruitful and enriching cooperation.