Integration of refugee children and their families in the Swedish preschool: strategies, objectives and standards

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis article is from a study about the integration of refugee children (aged one to five) and their families in Sweden. Refugee children and parents who have received a residence permit are entitled to be introduced into the Swedish society. One of the first encounters refugee children and families have with Swedish society is with the preschool. Many refugee families have been forced to leave their homes during difficult conditions. Those working with refugee children and their families may therefore encounter people who have endured trauma for example, while living in or fleeing from areas of violent conflict. The aim of this article is to explore the norms and aims that govern the educators’ strategies in the reception of refugee children and their families. The result reveals that different aims and strategies are used by the educators: (1) Culturally reflexive and flexible strategies aiming to empower; and (2) Fostering strategies aiming to teach the parents to adjust to routines and norms in the Swedish preschool. Ethnographic techniques were used to generate observational data, focusing on the educators’ everyday practices and concerns.