Sweden shows way to integration
Lindsay Clark
Wednesday, September 24, 2003
The secret of successfully integrating early years care with welfare and education was considered by Scottish early years workers last week. Delegates at the New Deal for Children conference, held in New Lanark by Children in Scotland, heard how early years services and childcare for school- aged children in Sweden have been part of the education system since 1996, in a service that was already more 'joined-up' than its Scottish or English counterparts. Gunnel Selling Norell, education 'rektor'
Delegates at the New Deal for Children conference, held in New Lanark by Children in Scotland, heard how early years services and childcare for school- aged children in Sweden have been part of the education system since 1996, in a service that was already more 'joined-up' than its Scottish or English counterparts. Gunnel Selling Norell, education 'rektor'
in the Swedish district of Harnosand Kommun, said this had allowed Sweden to build a welfare and education system that focuses on each child and builds greater continuity in services.
She said, 'Before, there were big gaps between pre-school, primary and secondary organisations. We had to have many meetings and discussions on how to bring things together. When the children started at a new service, they had to start over again - the service had to learn the history of the child.'
Ms Norell's responsibilities encompass pre-school, primary school, secondary school, and out-of-school care for children aged one to 16. She recalled that when integration of services first took place, the barriers between different professions were hard to overcome, as experiences in Scotland and England had shown. 'It was difficult in the beginning - from different cultures with different educations.'
Ms Norell said that one major difference in Sweden was that training of staff in early years services, schools and school-age childcare has been unified, which helped to break down any professional barriers. Other differences included the role of pedagogues who provided care, nurturing and learning as part of a coherent whole. Also, schools were open from 6.30am to 6.30pm to provide additional out-of-school care for a fee, if children's parents needed it.
But Bronwen Cohen, chief executive of Children in Scotland, said the point of the conference was not simply to aspire to copy the Swedish system.
'Cross- national research is not about copying but finding the questions we should be asking ourselves - to make visible what we take for granted,' she said.
Ms Cohen pointed out that Scotland has been piloting community schools since 1998, with some success. 'They have been quite effective in specific services, such as social care, and learning support - but that's just beginning to start in Scotland.'
