A1 Journal article (refereed)
Implementing positive behaviour intervention and support in Finnish early childhood education and care : leadership team’s perspective (2024)

Heiskanen, N., Karhu, A., Savolainen, H., & Närhi, V. (2024). Implementing positive behaviour intervention and support in Finnish early childhood education and care : leadership team’s perspective. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 39(2), 265-280. https://doi.org/10.1080/08856257.2023.2207057

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Heiskanen, Noora; Karhu, Anne; Savolainen, Hannu; Närhi, Vesa

Journal or series: European Journal of Special Needs Education

ISSN: 0885-6257

eISSN: 1469-591X

Publication year: 2024

Publication date: 03/05/2023

Volume: 39

Issue number: 2

Pages range: 265-280

Publisher: Routledge

Publication country: United Kingdom

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/08856257.2023.2207057

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Partially open access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/87108

Abstract

The effective implementation of positive behaviour intervention and support (PBIS) requires both organisational and professional change. This means that the whole community including all educators and children commit to shared principles, practices, and structures to create a safe and supportive social climate. In this article, we investigate the initial implementation of the Finnish PBIS ProVaka in eighteen early childhood education and care (ECEC) centres. Our inductive qualitative analysis of longitudinal progress diary data focuses on roles, responsibilities and communication among the ECEC communities. The results show that successful ProVaka development is a matter of successfully expanding the actor network and shared responsibility. The challenges of implementation are related to 1) an equal knowledge base, 2) sufficient concretisation of ProVaka, 3) a balance between theoretically valid and culturally adapted implementation, 4) regulation of motivation and enthusiasm, 5) the constant need for change and stances towards it and 6) the clashes of everyday life realities and implementation. This actor- and communication-focused inductive qualitative study offers new insight into the initial implementation phase of PBIS in Nordic ECEC and can inform the implementation and development of other evidence-based methods in special education.

Keywords: children (age groups); behaviour; intervention; early childhood education and care; day care centres; operations models; development (active); discourse analysis

Free keywords: positive behaviour interventions and support (PBIS); early childhood education and care (ECEC); organisational change; discourse analysis

Contributing organizations

Related projects

Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2023

Preliminary JUFO rating: 2