Kindergarten – A Safe and Positive Environment

Even in kindergarten, children may experience offensive behavior. If your child repeatedly feels excluded or is teased, it can be considered bullying. In such cases, you can report the issue to the kindergarten management. The kindergarten is required to address the matter immediately.

Bullying in kindergarten can involve actions from adults or other children that make a child feel excluded from the group. It may not always be easy for a child to express their experiences, but here are some questions you can ask yourself:

• Does your child seem happy about going to kindergarten?
• What does your child say about kindergarten at home?
• Does it seem like your child has friends in kindergarten?
• Does your child appear to feel safe in kindergarten?
• Does your child talk about play and fun experiences?
• Do the kindergarten staff show interest in your child’s well-being?

Parents of children in kindergarten.

Kindergarten must have a zero-tolerance policy for offensive behavior, including exclusion, bullying, violence, discrimination, and harassment.

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This is a statutory service. See in particular barnehageloven §§ 41, 42 og 43.

Barnehageloven

The kindergarten must actively prevent offensive behavior and continuously work to promote health, well-being, play, and learning.

All kindergarten staff are required to intervene immediately if they witness a child being subjected to offensive behavior.

If you, as a parent or guardian, report an issue to the kindergarten, you should address it with the kindergarten management. The management must investigate the matter immediately and take appropriate measures to improve the situation.

At the same time, the kindergarten must create a written action plan. The plan should include:

1. The specific issues the measures aim to resolve
2. The measures planned by the kindergarten
3. The timeline for implementing the measures
4. Who will be responsible for carrying out the measures
5. When the measures will be evaluated

If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of the kindergarten service, you can raise your concerns with the kindergarten management. The management is responsible for the service provided and must collaborate with all parents.

You can also submit a written complaint to the municipality.