The Danish Centre for Research in Early Childhood Education and Care

The centre’s research activities focus on everyday life and educational and caring (pedagogical) practices in child care centres such as nurseries, kindergartens and age-integrated institutions for children 0-6 years of age.

The aim of the Danish Centre for Research in Early Childhood Education and Care is to contribute to discussions on the life of children and pedagogical professionalism in the context of societal changes and changes in political management of early childhood education and care.

This aim is achieved through various activities:

• Producing and systematising research on early childhood education and care
• Connecting Danish research and development environments and projects within the field of early childhood education and care, and strengthening relationships with international research environments
• Supporting development of practice on a knowledge-based, participatory foundation
• Providing support and feedback for political agendas nationally and internationally through strong dialogue with stakeholders and the field of practice

The centre's main objective is to create a strong, collective and attractive research environment that attracts and stimulates research and development in order to influence national and international research agendas, as well as to establish a sound knowledge foundation for future development of the field of practice and the political agendas that shape it.

Research Themes and Projects

The centre's research themes are the foundation of its activities and aim to bring together national and international researchers, including visiting researchers, with a variety of theoretical and methodological perspectives. Current central themes of strategic importance:

• Children's everyday life in child care centres
• Knowledge, professional expertise and working life
• Pedagogical Practice
• Policy and management