Kan økt bemanning i barnehagene gjøre en forskjell?

This article explores staff experiences from two pilot initiatives involving increased staffing in kindergartens located in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas of Oslo. The study investigates how the additional personnel influenced the quality of the kindergarten services. Drawing on qualitative interviews with staff from eleven kindergartens and representatives from district administrations, as well as two web-based surveys conducted among kindergarten directors participating in the pilots in 2022 and 2024, the findings highlight the significance of local autonomy in implementation. The kindergartens were granted considerable autonomy in allocating resources, enabling targeted interventions aligned with perceived needs. Several of the kindergartens recruited specialist teachers with expertise in areas such as language development and child protection to support children in the “grey zone”—those without formal special education decisions but facing developmental or social challenges. Increased staffing facilitated smaller group sizes, which proved particularly beneficial for vulnerable children. Moreover, the pilots fostered closer follow-up, stronger staff–child relationships, as well as closer contact with parents.