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Evaluation of a pilot project in kindergarten

In the picture, from left: Director of Kjeldås kindergarten Kari Mette Neffati, Cecilie Stenhaug from Deborah Borgen’s Foundation and Assistant Director Ellen L. Espeseth

In the autumn of 2023 we carried out a pilot project in Kjeldås kindergarten. The employees have learned how to use a small part of the DB-System^® for stress management and reflection on their own practice.

The evaluation shows, among other things, that the employees experience Improved peace of mind and better solutions with parents, children and colleagues. They also say that the project has provided techniques to help children with emotional regulation, and that children’s group has become more calm.

Valuable experience

The purpose of the pilot project has been to gain experience-based knowledge from those who work with children. Both in terms of usefulness and usability. Experience from those who work with children is an important source for knowledge-based practice. We have gained valuable experience in how a small part of the DB-System^® can be used in kindergartens.

The staff got an introduction to «The mental iceberg» as an explanatory model for how we function as human beings. In addition they learned a technique to find peace of mind in daily life and have been trained in a technique for reflection.

Evaluation report

Before, during and after the project, the kindergarten has evaluated usefulness and usability using questionnaires and semi-structured interviews.

The kindergarten has written a project report, where their experiences are shared.

Here is a brief summary from the report:

All employees experienced the project as useful
Several also experienced a change in the working environment
They communicate better with each other and experience more positivity and willingness to cooperate
More people take responsibility
The manager says that the employees have become more «steady»
They experience finding peace of mind and better solutions with parents, children and colleagues
Some also experience having more energy when they come home

The staff also say that the project has provided techniques to help the children regulate emotions, and that there has been greater calmness in the children’s group.

«This is one of the better things we’ve had»

«These are methods that work»

«Helps us become more aware of our own feelings and thoughts»

The entire evaluation report can be found in Norwegian here>>>

Positive changes in each individual and in the working environment

The kindergarten has created a separate project group which focuses on integrating what they have learned into daily work. The project group points out that they see positive changes in each individual and in the working environment. Self-guided Imagery in Meditation (SIM) is simple and user friendly. They see the importance of setting aside time for this at system level.

The leadership group in the kindergarten will work to integrate the philosophy and techniques in the ongoing reflection and planning work in the kindergarten.

Tutu helps

The kindergarten has also used the book Tutu and The Magical Room, to support good conversation moments with the children. The kindergarten finds that the children are interested in what «Tutu has to say», and several children have, on their own initiative, started using their «inner magical room» to find peace of mind, come up with fun things or just philosophize a bit.

Program for kindergartens

Following the project, we have prepared a program especially for kindergartens. This consists of courses for the staff group, a lecture for parents, the special booklet Tutu and the Magical Room and a workbook with suggestions for further reflection practice.

Do you work in a kindergarten, or perhaps you are a parent or a guardian? Feel free to contact us for more information about the program for kindergartens, and tell other kindergartens about this.

Contact: Fagansvarlig Cecilie Stenhaug cecilie@deborahborgensstiftelse.no

DB-System^® for employees in kindergartens – Stress management and reflection

It is well documented that childrens’ mental health, as well as good learning and development processes, depend on the quality of interaction between staff and children in kindergartens.

The word quality means the staff’s skills in supporting children’s emotional, relational and social development, by giving them an experience of being seen, heard and understood.

This requires the ability to perceive children’s needs for care, feeling safe and interconnected, and to adjust their own behaviour in relation to what is needed. There is more and more focus on the professional being the most important factor in this work.

In the foundation, we use the DB-System^®as philosophy, theory and method in our work. DB-System^® consists of lectures regarding connections between emotions, thoughts and beviour, and how we can use cognitive techniques through Self-Guided Imaginary Meditation (SIM).

We need your support

We have worked voluntarily with all projects since inception and depend on support to cover running costs.

Ways you can support us are to:

Tip kindergartens others about this and the program for kindergartens
Buy Tutu and the Magical Room. (Norwegian). Maybe you work in a kindergarten yourself? Tutu can be used to create good conversational moments with the children
Become a regular donor, or by giving a single donation

Many thanks to Kjeldås kindergarten

Many thanks to Kjeldås kindergarten for the trust they have given us, so that we have been able to carry out an important project. They were an incredibly positive and professionally strong group that welcomed this experience with open arms.

We wish the kindergarten the best of luck in the future.