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Article

Pedagogical Leaders’ Approaches to Promoting Inclusion of Children with Autism in Norwegian Kindergartens

by
Trine Andrea Boquist
1,
Magnar Ødegård
2 and
Henri Valtteri Pesonen
2,*
1
Oslo Kommune, 0166 Oslo, Norway
2
Department of Special Needs Education, University of Oslo, 0313 Oslo, Norway
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Educ. Sci. 2025, 15(1), 43; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15010043
Submission received: 19 November 2024 / Revised: 19 December 2024 / Accepted: 31 December 2024 / Published: 3 January 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Special and Inclusive Education)
Versions Notes

Abstract

:
It is well recognized that Norwegian kindergartens have an important role in ensuring inclusion among all children, but the actual implementation of inclusive practices can vary greatly in early childhood education. Particularly how the inclusion of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is supported in kindergartens has raised concerns, and research focusing on the current circumstances in Norway is scarce. To fill in this gap in research, our study examined pedagogical leaders’ approaches to promoting inclusion of children with autism in kindergartens. The method of empathy-based stories (MEBS) was used to collect stories from 32 participants working in kindergartens. Qualitative analysis of participant produced stories revealed that inclusion of children with autism consisted of two themes: (1) professional framework for inclusion and (2) empathetic approaches to inclusion. The findings provide suggestions for further research and development work related to inclusion of children with ASD in early childhood education.

1. Introduction

The number of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), who often require special educational support, is increasing both globally and within Norway (Public Health Report, 2024; Øzerk & Cardinal, 2020; Zeidan et al., 2022). Most children with ASD (also referred to as autism) need support with social interaction and communication, as well as with processing sensory information in their daily lives (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Internationally, the prevalence of autism in early childhood education is reported to be 1 in every 100 children (Zeidan et al., 2022). In Norwegian kindergartens, approximately 0.2–0.8 percent of children (aged 0–5) have an autism diagnosis (Public Health Report, 2024). To ensure educational inclusion for these children, it is essential that adults understand the characteristics of ASD. Without sufficient knowledge of autism and necessary support arrangements in kindergartens, children with autism may face a significant risk of exclusion from mainstream education (e.g., Pesonen et al., 2023a, 2023b).
Receiving special education in Norwegian kindergartens is a legal right according to the Kindergarten Act §31, saying that “children below compulsory school age have the right to special educational assistance if they have particular needs for it” and that “The purpose of special educational assistance is to provide children with early help and support in the learning and development of, for example, linguistic and social skills” (Barnehageloven, 2006). Although legislative requirements exist to ensure support and inclusive practices for all children, the qualifications of staff in Norwegian kindergartens have not kept pace with the increased demands for competence, particularly in understanding how to support the needs of children with autism. This is evident in the shortage of qualified staff and the varying quality of support currently offered in Norwegian kindergartens (Kunnskapsdepartementet, 2023; Haug, 2017).
International research indicates that even though most children with special needs attend kindergartens, early education teachers and other professionals often struggle to include children with special needs in everyday activities (Engstrand & Roll-Pettersson, 2014; Luttropp et al., 2007; Pesonen et al., 2023a). For example, children might be included physically in the environment, but the teachers might not fully understand the individual needs of children with autism nor see the child beyond the diagnosis (see e.g., Pesonen et al., 2023a, 2023b). Furthermore, placing too much emphasis on the organizational and physical inclusion aspects without considering other factors related to support for children with autism (e.g., encountering the child as an individual, knowledge about autism, adults’ values, beliefs, etc.) can even lead the child to experience a lack of belonging and actively choosing not to belong later in life (e.g., Garrels, 2017; Pesonen et al., 2023b; Pesonen & Nieminen, 2021).

1.1. Inclusion and Special Educational Assistance in Norwegian Kindergartens

A broad understanding of inclusion suggests that all children should have equal opportunities for social and academic learning (Buli-Holmberg et al., 2022; Finkelstein et al., 2021; Haug, 2020; Nilsen, 2020). This understanding also applies to Norwegian (and Nordic) ideals and democratic values (Arnesen, 2012; Haug, 2017; Ministry of Education and Research, 2019). Norwegian politicians have emphasized inclusion as a goal for kindergartens towards 2030 and pointed towards increasing the number of competent kindergarten staff. At present, insufficient competence among kindergarten staff is one of the primary challenges to achieving the goal of inclusion in Norwegian early childhood education (Kunnskapsdepartementet, 2023).
Despite the challenges related to staff competence, careful planning, documentation, and assessment procedures are essential in kindergartens to adapt the environment and pedagogy to meet the needs of all children. When a child with autism requires special education, they must go through the “special educational intervention chain.” This process involves several steps: (1) staff express concern about a particular child’s development (e.g., a child with ASD); (2) the staff refers the child to educational and psychological counseling services (PPT), an external body that assesses the child’s needs; (3) an expert assessment is conducted by the PPT; (4) a decision is made regarding the child’s right to special educational assistance; (5) planning and implementation of the support are carried out; and (6) the support and its impact are evaluated (Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training, 2017).

1.2. Inclusion of Children with Autism

When discussing inclusion of children with autism, three dimensions can be connected to it: organizational inclusion, social inclusion, and academic inclusion (Nilsen, 2017, 2020; Sigstad et al., 2022). Organizational inclusion is about the placement of children (e.g., if they receive their education in smaller or “mainstreamed” groups, with “mainstreamed groups” meaning together with the rest of the children in the kindergarten). Social inclusion is about whether children with different support needs collaborate and have positive relationships. Academic inclusion involves a balance between creating opportunities for children with special needs to be part of the “mainstream” education or determining if they need individual adaptations, such as special educational assistance (Nilsen, 2017). There can be several barriers related to these inclusion dimensions for children with ASD (Garrels, 2017).
For example, organizational inclusion can be challenging in Norwegian kindergartens if children with ASD are “mainstreamed” without any support. This can be due to poor adaptions in the environment for ensuring that children with ASD do not face challenges with sensory overload, which can lead to feelings of discomfort. Social inclusion, which is a core component for kindergartens to consider, often requires the need to adapt practices to better meet the needs of children with ASD. Finally, academic inclusion refers to adapting the activities to meet the needs of children with ASD so that they can fully participate in the group with the rest of the children.
One significant challenge related to the inclusion of children with ASD is the lengthy diagnosis process in Norway, which can take a considerable amount of time (see also van’t Hof et al., 2021; Huang et al., 2020). This process is necessary to secure additional support for the child, resulting in teachers and other kindergarten professionals being limited to the existing support measures available to them, while additional assistance would be provided by the PPT. Consequently, children with ASD may not receive adequate adaptations due to the lack of diagnosis information and, therefore, the absence of appropriate measures. Another challenge concerning inclusion is the differing interpretations of the term inclusion (e.g., Honkasilta et al., 2024). For instance, inclusion can be seen as either a human right or a child’s need. Viewing inclusion as a human right implies that all children should be part of the kindergarten community. Conversely, focusing on individual needs emphasizes deficit-focused intervention research, which may not always support full inclusion (“mainstreaming”) and could potentially lead to exclusion instead (Ravet, 2011).
Another perspective suggests that inclusion involves integrating individuals, such as children with autism, into an existing community, without requiring the community to make changes, such as adaptations or increasing awareness of ASD. In contrast, broader views of inclusion emphasize that it is a shared responsibility, where the entire community supports all children, irrespective of their diverse needs (Ministry of Education and Research, 2019; Nilsen, 2017; Ainscow et al., 2016). Although measures have been documented to support children with autism alongside their peers in kindergartens, children with ASD are often the ones who receive special educational assistance in smaller, segregated groups (Kaale et al., 2012; Wendelborg et al., 2015).

1.3. Purpose of the Study

Research indicates that kindergarten staff (e.g., teachers) appear to be positive toward inclusion (e.g., Vural et al., 2021; Zabeli & Gjelaj, 2020). However, they also report that there is a lack of resources to support the growth and development of children between the ages of 3 and 5, and they specifically highlight the worry about limited resources for supporting children with ASD, with the latter being one of the main concerns in their work (Vural et al., 2021; Zabeli & Gjelaj, 2020). However, research particularly focusing on pedagogical leaders’ ways of promoting inclusion of children with ASD in the current circumstances in Norway is scarce. To fill this research gap, our study examined pedagogical leaders’ approaches to promoting inclusion of children with ASD in Norwegian kindergartens. To achieve this, we analyzed stories from 32 kindergarten pedagogical leaders to address the following research question: How do kindergarten pedagogical leaders describe their actions for promoting the inclusion of children with autism? We were particularly interested in investigating what pedagogical leaders describe, as they are important professionals in implementing inclusive practices in Norwegian kindergartens. Since the research topic is scarcely studied, particularly when considering the focus on participants’ written descriptions and the Norwegian context, our study has been guided by exploratory and narrative approaches (see e.g., Rosa et al., 2023). Through examining their stories, our study aimed to enhance understanding of the relatively underexplored inclusion practices of children with autism, particularly using this type of qualitative method of inquiry in the Norwegian context. Our research, consequently, holds the potential to provide aspects on how to enhance inclusive practices in kindergartens and how to capture early childhood education staff’s views in future research.

2. Methods

2.1. Context

In Norway, over 90% of children attend kindergarten (Sentralbyrå, 2024), which is thereby an important preparation for the Norwegian educational system. The Kindergarten Act (Barnehageloven, 2006) and the framework plan (Sentralbyrå, 2024) provide direction for the practice in kindergartens and mirror the values of inclusion, community, participation, democracy, equality, and justice (Haug, 2017). One of the purposes is to take care of the child’s need for care, play, and learning (Barnehageloven, 2006). The content of kindergartens should also be adapted to all children, both on individual and group levels (Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training, 2017). Simultaneously, children with special needs may need to be assessed and receive special educational assistance according to §31 in the Norwegian Kindergarten Act (Barnehageloven, 2006).

2.2. Participants

The participants (n = 32) were recruited through social media channels (e.g., Facebook) and by e-mailing all kindergartens in the Oslo area. We purposefully wanted to sample participants who were pedagogical leaders with a professional position in kindergarten, including responsibilities to implement and lead the pedagogical work (Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training, 2017). Pedagogical leaders are often educated kindergarten teachers (e.g., bachelor’s degree in early childhood education) who might have additional education in management. These professionals can be considered to have an important role in ensuring support for children with autism. We welcomed a wide range of descriptions and did not set additional inclusion criteria, such as requiring a minimum number of years in kindergarten. Nonetheless, it can be challenging to recruit participants, due to the current circumstances. For example, limited staffing in kindergartens poses difficulties for the staff to find time to participate in research (see e.g., Jacobson et al., 2024).
Out of the 32 participants, most held the official job title of a pedagogical leader (n = 26), and 6 worked in similar positions or tasks that a pedagogical leader would do. The participants’ job titles were self-reported. We refer to all the participants holding these described positions as “participants” in this Section 2 and later in the results. The participants were mainly women (94%) and the ages varied from 29 to 52 years, with a median age of 37 years. The participants had a median work experience of 11 years (ranging between 1 year to 27 years). All the participants reported that they had an education that had prepared them for working with children in early childhood education (e.g., half of the participants had an education that included special needs education content), and they also had worked with one or more children with special needs.

2.3. Data Collection

We obtained ethical approval from the Norwegian Agency for Shared Services in Education and Research. All participants provided informed consent before completing the electronic survey. Participation was voluntary.
We employed the method of empathy-based stories (MEBS) to gather data through an open-ended question feature in a web-based survey. MEBS is a qualitative data collection method, where the researcher presents frame stories to the participants (see e.g., Äikäs et al., 2022). The frame story encourages participants to produce short texts that can vary in length. Most often, the participants are presented with a frame story that varies in format (Wallin et al., 2019). For example, the presented frame stories can have positive or negative variations in the description. The researchers expect that the frame stories prompt participants to see connections to situations that are relatable to them (e.g., organizing support for ensuring the inclusion of children with ASD). The connection to the frame might be achieved either through personal experiences that are relatable to similar situations or by envisioning oneself in the situation (e.g., Pesonen et al., 2021). Therefore, MEBS produces data that might describe the participants’ experiences, mental representations, and expectations related to a specific phenomenon (Wallin et al., 2019).
In our study, we utilized two frame stories. The stories varied from being positive and negative (e.g., describing one situation where support is well organized vs. one situation where support is lacking). The participants were randomly assigned one of the frame stories using the features of the web-based survey system to obtain variety of answers based on both frames. In the data collection, the first section of the survey asked participants to report their demographics (e.g., age, gender, years of experience, etc.), which was followed by introducing them one of the frame stories. The participants were asked to describe their potential actions and thoughts after reading one of the following two frames:
(1)
You are a pedagogical leader at a kindergarten. There are 18 children in total. Ola (5 years old) has autism and is not communicating verbally. Ola is pushing the younger children in the kindergarten. You contacted the early education district, which has the responsibility for Ola’s special educational support. The situation has not improved. Ola’s behavior has gotten worse. This concerns you.
(2)
You are the pedagogical leader at a kindergarten. There are 18 children in total. Ola (5 years old) has autism and is not communicating verbally. Ola is pushing the younger children in the kindergarten. You contacted the early education district, which has the responsibility for Ola’s special educational support. Now, things are better.
We were particularly interested in narratives in the participants’ produced stories about their approaches to support for inclusion of children with autism. The provided frame stories depicted a challenge related to working with a child with autism in kindergarten. Participants were asked to create a solution in their story that addressed both individual and collective aspects of the described situation (Bruner, 1990; Herman, 2009). Consequently, these narratives are both personal and cultural, offering broader insights into the phenomenon as it occurs within society or specific social contexts (Caine et al., 2013). An individual’s narrative includes their personal experiences and perspectives while also integrating those of others from reference groups, institutions, communities, and culture (Hermans, 2001). Narratives are not merely factual or straightforward accounts of a narrator’s experiences; rather, individuals actively engage with their experiences and reflections on the phenomenon throughout the narrative process (Bruner, 1986).

2.4. Data Analysis

Our final dataset consisted of 32 participant stories that were responses to the provided frame stories. Out of these, 20 participants produced stories based on the concern framing and 12 on the positive frame (“things are better”). The participants wrote the stories in Norwegian, and the material was translated into English. The stories had an average length of 61 words. We analyzed the positive and negative material as a combined dataset, as we had a general interest in the inclusion of children with ASD, and our research question was such that it also guided our choice. Furthermore, after initial reading of the data, there were no obvious differences what type of data each frame had produced. The combined datasets were uploaded to Nvivo for analysis.
We analyzed the data using inductive content analysis (Schreier, 2012) and narrative approaches (Polkinghorne, 1995, 2007). Firstly, we read the stories multiple times while taking notes. We then identified patterns in the data that led to the first author further coding the material. From the initial codes (e.g., support, special education services, special teacher, families, working alone, adaptation, assessment methods, observation, counseling services inclusive pedagogy, inclusive environment, understanding the child, etc.), we identified a framework for coding. The codes were discussed with the co-authors and the coding framework was confirmed, yet it remained open for possible revisions later. The analysis was then continued, and we started to discover connections between the codes and emerged codes into sub-themes (e.g., observation and counseling services), which we then further emerged them into themes (e.g., collaboration). Through this process, two main themes were created, and within these themes, we discovered five sub-themes. Since the participants produced writings, we wanted to illustrate these subthemes to the reader in an example story format. Thus, we followed the (Polkinghorne, 1995, 2007) concept of narrative analysis to create example stories. We constructed the illustrative stories by extracting segments from the participants’ stories that most accurately depicted the sub-theme contents within the main themes and the inclusion of children with ASD (see also Pesonen et al., 2021). We also included some fictional elements to improve readability (see e.g., Pesonen et al., 2023c). Finally, after each example story (in the results), we discussed and made interpretations of the story (Polkinghorne, 2007).

3. Findings

The analysis of the narratives resulted in five example stories (in italics) is organized under two themes. These are followed by a closer examination of the ways participants promote the inclusion of children with autism. The original extracts are marked with quotations and codes from the participants (e.g., P1 = participant 1, P2 = participant 2, etc.). Table 1 below demonstrates the themes and example stories based on the themes.

3.1. Theme 1: Professional Framework for Inclusion

The theme of professional framework for inclusion consisted of example stories about (1) constructive collaboration about assessments, (2) implementation of support, and (3) carrying the responsibility that are outlined below. Each example story is followed by a closer examination of the ways participants promoted inclusion of children with autism.

3.1.1. Constructive Collaboration About Assessments

I use assessment methods to find support for Ola together with the help of other professionals. Over time, I assess both frequency and the situation where the behavior occurs, and how the current methods in kindergarten work. I change things that are not working. Through the assessment, I document a potential application for special educational assistance. I ask questions related to the organization of the kindergarten and its pedagogy, the child’s experience of transition situations and play environment, relationships with peers and adults, and what kind of measures could be relevant to implement. I might seek guidance and support from the habilitation service for children and adolescents and PPT. I have an active dialogue with these actors, a special teacher from the municipality, the head of the kindergarten, and other staff. I ask the PPT or special teacher to visit the kindergarten and observe the child if I consider this relevant. This could provide me with new perspectives related to how we work.
This example story illustrates an increased focus on constructive collaboration about assessment when the situation was increasingly challenging. The story demonstrates collaboration, documentation, and assessment methods. Various collaborators were discussed, including kindergarten staff and parents. Collaboration could point toward dialogue but also to “seeking council and guidance” (P22). The analysis indicated the importance of using assessment methods (e.g., assessing the environment, the frequency of behavior, and in which contexts it occurred). For example: “We need to assess and understand in which situations Ola is pushing (other children)” (P10).
Collaboration was particularly associated with observation and counseling services. P09 illustrated this by saying that they “…wanted staff in the kindergarten department should observe the environment to get multiple angles on how we work” (P09). When it came to relevant documents, an action plan (a plan illustrating different measures that are to be implemented in given situations) was considered useful. P24 mentioned that “As a pedagogical leader, I would have acquired knowledge about the measures and a potential action plan (…) and implement this in the daily pedagogical work and support and care in kindergarten with Ola”. The work with ongoing documentation concerning Ola’s case was considered fundamental: “You need to log what you are doing and what happens. When one does this, one has something concrete to refer to” (P27). This example specifically illustrates how important it is to keep track of the child leading to actual proof of how to support the child.

3.1.2. Implementation of Support

I consider support arrangements with multidisciplinary collaborators. The child’s support is based on assessments and what is documented in the child’s support plan. I think Ola needs augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) because he needs support in verbal communication. I am providing him with access to verbal communication by working intensively with language development, creating good language environments and models, and practicing words. I group the children into smaller groups divided by cubicle walls to train social and language skills. Regarding the child’s pushing issues, I use AAC and a daily visual schedule as tools to create predictability for the child. I also assign an adult to stay close to the child all day. Alternatively, I might remove him from the situation. When an adult is close to him, I believe this prevents him from pushing the other children and protects the younger children as well. I also think the adult can quickly comfort the younger children if the pushing cannot be prevented.
This example story demonstrates the importance of implementing and following up on the organized support. The story particularly illustrates supporting a child’s skills related to language development (e.g., AAC), as well as environmental adaptations. For example, one participant mentioned how AAC could be used in social skills training: “…problems with pushing could be solved with the use AAC, using photos both in transitions where the pushing is happening and in the form of social stories” (P24).
Other environmental efforts included placing Ola in smaller groups and increasing the number of adults working with Ola. The smaller groups were highlighted as key factors for inclusion, as well as providing good opportunities for social and language skills support. A greater number of adults appears to be also associated with better support for Ola in transitions and play situations. For example, children with ASD should have “…an adult working closely with them throughout the day and especially in transitions, and in free play” (P30). It also appears that when more adults are present, the participants can protect Ola and other children from potential incidents of Ola hitting. For example, one participant mentioned that “Initiatives that I implement are to protect the other children and by always having an adult close to Ola can prevent [physical incidents] … in case one cannot avoid the pushing” (P28).

3.1.3. Carrying the Responsibility

I think municipalities are very different when it comes to children with the right to special education. In some places, you are part of a team, while in other places you might feel like you are to survive on your own. When working alone, it requires a lot more effort. I think it is demanding and takes a lot of time away from being with the entire child group. I wish to receive training, but I want the special needs teacher to help. I think that the municipality is not taking responsibility for the child seriously. I get frustrated and talk to the head of the kindergarten or the parents so that we can move things forward. I also seek help from the PPT. I think this is time time-consuming process. I think it is better if the municipality decides that the child has the right to special educational assistance. I associate this with getting an extra adult in kindergarten. I would like to get information about the number of hours that the child has the right to special educational assistance and determine who will be responsible for the follow-up concerning the child. With an extra adult, I believe pushing can be prevented. I think it should be their responsibility [municipality] to provide support, ensuring that the child receives support during allocated hours.
This example story indicates how barriers in collaboration with the municipality can impact the quality of special education for children with autism. It appears that the organization and distribution of resources are dependent on the decisions made by the municipality. Some participants described that they had established constructive collaborations with the municipality, while others addressed challenges in the collaboration. For example, P16 felt that they did not get enough support: “I have contacted those with more responsibility [in support concerning Ola, e.g., special education teacher]. I have been offered different materials that I have to learn …and spend an enormous amount of time learning them away from the children instead of the special needs teacher being present in the kindergarten” (P16). The data further indicated that the participants experienced frustration, worrying, not being heard, and not being taken seriously when ensuring support for the child. There also appeared to be aspirations for developing competence. This story seems to suggest that pedagogical leaders are committed to supporting the child, but collaboration with the municipality can be challenging.

3.2. Theme 2: Empathetic Approaches to Inclusion

The theme of empathetic approaches to inclusion consisted of example stories of (1) working towards inclusion for all and (2) recognizing the child as an individual that are outlined below. Each example story is followed by a closer examination of the ways participants promoted inclusion of children with autism

3.2.1. Working Towards Inclusion for All

I think it is my task to arrange the day in such a way that it meets Ola’s needs. I take care of Ola like all other children and work toward creating good and predictable days for him and the smallest children. I am tightly connected with the children and try to offer activities that interest every individual. At the same time, I recognize that Ola needs more knowledge, and his support needs to be adapted to meet his individual needs. I explore the situation at home by asking the parents. I want to get feedback from the special teacher on how we can work, but I cannot wait to hear from the special teacher, as I have started working toward support for Ola already. Together with other staff, I reflect on the structure of the kindergarten and promote a creation of common understanding about Ola’s needs. I divide the children into smaller groups to create a peaceful environment. I also use this as a method to make the smaller children feel safe when meeting Ola. I work towards that all children learn AAC so that they can communicate with Ola.
This story demonstrates inclusive approaches, as well as willingness to change the environment and develop one’s own and the teams’ competence. It appears that improved situations for children with autism are associated with adults’ efforts toward creating inclusive environments. The story further shows that adults understood the child’s needs. Some participants, yet too few, were specifically aware of the diversity of children and seeing beyond the child’s autism: “If you have met one autistic person, you have met only one autistic person. These children are as different as all other children. This is the case for other diagnoses as well. No children or human are only their diagnosis! They are themselves” (P31). The example story and the data in general indicated a willingness to change the environment The adults took responsibility in making sure that Ola is supported in kindergarten. Participants emphasized the significance of creating predictability throughout the day so that Ola always knows what to do and who will be with him. Additionally, the data revealed the importance of paying attention to the organization and structure within the kindergarten. The participants willingness to support Ola in the story might suggest importance of such values and beliefs that favor inclusion that can facilitate the creation of a safe kindergarten environment for all children is possible.

3.2.2. Recognizing the Child as an Individual

I imagine it must be frustrating for Ola when he tries to communicate and those around him do not understand. I think that the adults need to adapt their communication so that Ola understands and teaches the other children how to communicate with Ola. I think that all children can be hit or pushed in different situations, and thus, it is important to try to see past this type of behavior. I want Ola to experience predictability throughout the day—that he knows what to do and who to be with. Perhaps Ola wants to participate but is not able to do so. I think that the adults need to give him support and guidance so that he can build positive relationships. I arrange for the children to be with Ola’s group based on whom he has a connection with and feels safe around. I offer the children things they are interested in and stay closely engaged with them when they play together.
The last example story about recognizing the child as an individual consists of understanding the child as a unique individual. This story illustrates warm and caring approaches. Even though the child might not be able to express their wish to play with other children, the need for help is still acknowledged, for example, through the statement “…He wants to participate [in play situations] …” (10). This particularly emphasizes the importance of sensitivity in recognizing the need for supporting Ola’s interactions with other children, perhaps suggesting that the adult can also see the situation from Ola’s perspective. Another participant continued by stating that making sure that an adult is constantly present is vital: “Periods of free play are often characterized by a low degree of structure for children who struggle with interactions. Ola needs support and guidance when playing with other children” (P30). This example illustrates the importance of adult presence in addition to sensitivity to social situations. One participant also pointed towards teaching the other children how to communicate with Ola: “…it is important to talk to the other children about how they could communicate with Ola” (P26). Overall, warm and caring relationships between adults and children appear to be important in ensuring inclusion in kindergarten.

4. Discussion

In this study, we explored how kindergarten pedagogical leaders describe their approaches to promoting inclusion of children with ASD in kindergartens using MEBS as a method that has been scarcely used in the Norwegian context. We discovered that professional actions towards implementing inclusion were illustrated in the stories within the theme of professional framework for inclusion. However, more inclusive practices concerning sensitivity in encounters were apparent in fewer stories within the theme of empathetic approaches to inclusion. Particularly, one of the interesting findings under the empathic approaches theme was related to the story in which there were indications that the pedagogical leader tried to take the perspective of the child. Such a finding appears to shed light on still scarcely explored topic of the ‘double empathy problem’ (see also Pesonen et al., 2023b). This concept highlights the importance of neurotypical people (those without autism) learning to understand the world from the perspective of an autistic person. Otherwise, a gap in understanding and empathy can occur (Milton, 2012, 2020). It seemed to appear that the adults might have expressed an understanding of how it feels for a child who is misunderstood by their environment (see also Pesonen et al., 2023b). The results further implied that inclusion might not only be about the child’s organizational placement, but also social and communicative components were emphasized, which demonstrates a broad understanding of inclusion (Nilsen, 2017; Ainscow et al., 2016).
We also discovered that the pedagogical leaders recognized professional responsibilities in the inclusion process, and these were emphasized in some of the stories in the way how the adults supported the inclusion of children with autism through their willingness to change the environment and take initiative to develop their competence. The example story of constructive collaboration about assessments provided reflections related to assessment methods and documentation. When documentation seemed to represent information for the staff, the documents appeared to be mainly plans and documents describing the child’s legal rights. Plans and assessment methods can influence the educational activities in kindergartens (Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training, 2017). However, an emphasis on documents describing legal rights could be seen as a focus on administrative and organizational aspects, such as the number of hours of special educational assistance provided to the child (Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training, 2017). An approach that heavily focuses on legal rights and the number of hours of special educational assistance could be linked to a narrow understanding of inclusion in the sense that the main concern becomes organization without focusing on other aspects of inclusion (e.g., Haug, 2017; Nilsen, 2017; Ainscow et al., 2016).
Assessment methods appeared to be very closely connected to collaboration with different actors, such as PPT, special needs counselors, support pedagogues (equivalent to special needs teachers internationally), and learning assistants. Collaboration could be understood as a collective action oriented towards a common goal of inclusion. Such collaboration is about seeking new knowledge across different disciplines, something that could be implemented across various services in society (D’Amour et al., 2005; Parse, 2015). Results suggested that interprofessional collaboration appeared to increase when there is was improvement in the child’s situation (Äikäs et al., 2022). Although Norwegian kindergartens promote collaboration, one could question what the collaboration entails. Perhaps the collaboration mainly remains organizational, and the common goal toward promoting inclusion of children with autism in kindergartens is missing. However, creating such collaborative support approaches can be challenging if the different professionals do not share the same understanding, attitudes, beliefs, or even same use of terminology when it comes to working toward inclusion in education (see e.g., Honkasilta et al., 2024; Pesonen et al., 2023a; Tulikoura et al., 2024). In- and pre-service teacher training could focus on having more common courses with students from different disciplines (e.g., special education, social work, psychology) and practice collaboration and reflection skills in multidisciplinary groups (e.g., Kärnä et al., 2022).
Planning support is based on children’s individual needs. Even though individual education plans are necessary, the ordinary curriculum is still not inclusive for all children (Nilsen, 2017). Some forms of support might even be considered as segregating. Our findings indicated examples of this in the form of using smaller child groups or sensory reduction (e.g., noise-cancelling headphones) only for children with ASD instead of making the smaller groups inclusive and offer all children resources such as noise-cancelling headphones. The current arrangements mentioned in the stories might lead to challenges related to making autism visible for other children and perhaps even making a child with autism to stand out, leading to experiences of feeling different than others that can have negative impacts later in life (e.g., Pesonen & Nieminen, 2021). Furthermore, other children might also experience this unfair, as they are not being provided access to the same resources (e.g., headphones). It appears that improved overall inclusive practices in kindergartens could reduce the need for support that otherwise might be perceived as segregating. Kindergarten staff should be trained and encouraged to see that planning inclusive pedagogy for one child can benefit all and can be applied to the practices of all children.
The results also showed that it might not always be clear how inclusion is understood nor who has responsibility in the collaboration. It also appeared that there can be unclarities about what the collaboration aims to achieve. The special needs teachers might not be always contributing to competence development and collaboration as much as the pedagogical leaders want. This might also create barriers to inclusion if they put too much responsibility on the pedagogical leaders who might not have the required competence (e.g., Ministry of Education and Research, 2023). For example, staff without knowledge about special needs education might find working with children with ASD challenging (see also Sunko et al., 2019). Finally, a lack of resources appeared in the story data as one of the main barriers to collaboration and shared responsibility. A lack of resources (e.g., enough adults) can lead to challenges in meeting the needs of children with special needs, particularly when there are not enough competent adults entering the various professions in the kindergarten, and yet simultaneously competence requirements to work in Norwegian kindergartens are increasing (Kunnskapsdepartementet, 2023). Perhaps it is not always about increasing the number of adults and their competence, as it also should be combined with hiring such staff who have favorable values and beliefs toward inclusion (see e.g., Pesonen et al., 2023a). The results should be also carefully considered when structuring pre- and in-service teacher training programs. Current and future educators will benefit from having more content about autism to better respond to children’s needs. Furthermore, including contents about the double empathy problem theory (Milton, 2012, 2020) can have the potential to improve inclusive practices in kindergartens.

5. Limitations, Future Research, and Conclusions

This study has several limitations. The number of stories in our study is quite small; however, the data were rich in content. We were able to thoroughly examine patterns in the data during the analysis. Another limitation is that our material does not include the perspectives of other professionals in the kindergarten. In the future, more stories should be collected from all professional groups in the kindergarten. Data could be also collected from students in kindergarten teacher programs and in-service training. Future data collection could also include other stakeholder groups (such as PPT), parents, and children. Future research could also particularly focus on examining educators’ empathic approaches when working with children with autism and generally all children.
One possible limitation might be that we did not ask what the specific job was for those participants in the kindergarten who did not have the official title of pedagogical leader. Although they did not report to be officially working as pedagogical leaders (holding the official job title, as some worked in positions equivalent to pedagogical leaders), our data collection method was designed in such a way that it had the potential to capture views of all participants with its imaginary elements (see Wallin et al., 2019). Another possible limitation might be that we did not make specific inquiries about the child group (children’s ages, group size, number of children with ASD diagnosis, etc.). In the future, we should ask for more detailed demographics about the participant and their child groups to help in contextualizing participants’ narratives.
Finally, the method of empathy-based stories has some limitations. We applied the method to capture potential experiences related to the inclusion of children with autism. We cannot be certain that the stories represent the actual experiences of the participants. In this study, we analyzed positive and negative stories combined. In future studies, having a different approach (e.g., discourses) and with different research questions could lead to analyzing such material separately.
Our research has demonstrated the importance of having such adults in kindergartens who ensure all children feel included and understood. Recognizing the child as an active participant is essential to the overall inclusion process. Our findings also highlight the need for further research on this topic and the development of staff competencies to adopt a more holistic approach to including children with autism.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, T.A.B. and H.V.P. and M.Ø.; methodology, T.A.B. and H.V.P.; validation, T.A.B., H.V.P. and M.Ø.; formal analysis, T.A.B.; writing—original draft preparation, T.A.B.; writing—review and editing, H.V.P. and M.Ø.; supervision, H.V.P.; project administration, H.V.P. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This research received no external funding.

Institutional Review Board Statement

The study was conducted in accordance with the Norwegian Agency for Shared Services in Education and Research (SIKT) approval (Reference number: 283752; date of approval 3 March 2023).

Informed Consent Statement

Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study.

Data Availability Statement

The datasets presented in this article are not readily available because time limitations.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Table 1. Themes and example stories based on the themes.
Table 1. Themes and example stories based on the themes.
ThemeExample Stories Based on the Themes
Professional framework for inclusionConstructive collaboration about assessments
Implementation of support
Carrying the responsibility
Empathetic approaches to inclusionWorking toward inclusion for all
Recognizing the child as an individual
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Boquist, T.A.; Ødegård, M.; Pesonen, H.V. Pedagogical Leaders’ Approaches to Promoting Inclusion of Children with Autism in Norwegian Kindergartens. Educ. Sci. 2025, 15, 43. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15010043

AMA Style

Boquist TA, Ødegård M, Pesonen HV. Pedagogical Leaders’ Approaches to Promoting Inclusion of Children with Autism in Norwegian Kindergartens. Education Sciences. 2025; 15(1):43. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15010043

Chicago/Turabian Style

Boquist, Trine Andrea, Magnar Ødegård, and Henri Valtteri Pesonen. 2025. "Pedagogical Leaders’ Approaches to Promoting Inclusion of Children with Autism in Norwegian Kindergartens" Education Sciences 15, no. 1: 43. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15010043

APA Style

Boquist, T. A., Ødegård, M., & Pesonen, H. V. (2025). Pedagogical Leaders’ Approaches to Promoting Inclusion of Children with Autism in Norwegian Kindergartens. Education Sciences, 15(1), 43. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15010043

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