Förskollärares dagliga arbete med trygghet i förskolan

Sammanfattning

The purpose of this study is to examine how preschool teachers work with children`s security and safety in everyday situations in preschool, and if there are differences in their ways of working. The study is based on the questions of how preschool teachers create secure relationships with children and how children respond to preschool teachers' caregiving behaviors.The study is based on attachment theory, with important concepts such as secure base, safe haven, sensitivity, and caregiving behavior. Previous research shows that preschool teachers` relationships and interactions with children are important för children's security and emotional development. A qualitative method was used in the study. The data was collected through non-participant observations at two preschools in northwestern Scania, Sweden. Four preschool teachers and children between the ages of 1 and 5 participated in the study. The observations were documented with field notes and analyzed using thematic analysis. The results show that preschool teachers create security through physical closeness, verbal confirmation, eye contact, and sensitivity in everyday situations such as circle time, meals, free play, and conflict situations. Thechildren often responded by seeking comfort, closeness, and support from the preschool teachers. The results also show differences in how preschool teachers work with security. Some teachers mainly used physical closeness, while others focused more on communication and dialogue. Organizational factors, such as group size and the structure of the preschool, also affected the work with security. The study shows that children`s security I created through daily interactions between children and preschool teachers. The results also show that preschool teachers' sensitivity and presence are important for children`s opportunities to feel safe and secure in preschool.Keywords: Security, caregiving, attachment theory, preschool teachers, sensitivity, preschool, secure relationships, children's safety, everyday interactions, preschool teachers' working approaches, relationships.