The Role of Preeschool in Promoting Children's Mental Health and Well-Being : Preeschool Educator's Perceptions and Experiences in workning with Children's Mental Health and Well-Being in Preeschool

The purpose of this study is to contribute knowledge about preschool educators' perceptions and experiences in working with children's mental health and well-being in preschool. The study is qualitative and the method used is a semi-structured interview, in which eleven educators participated. The interview guide contained fixed questions with the possibility of follow-up questions. The analysis is based on Aaron Antonovsky's perspective, the salutogenic, with Sense of Coherence (SOC) and related theoretical concepts. The results show that emotions and emotional expressions are perceived as signs of children's mental health. The educators describe how they work actively to give children strategies for understanding and managing their emotions. Furthermore, a positive approach, the importance of good relationships and the design of the environment are highlighted as crucial for children's well-being. It also appears that the educators' conditions to work with health promotion are affected by external factors such as access to skills development, management priorities and organizational resources. Also, the educators express the importance of being present and responsive to pay attention to children's needs, identify protective factors and provide support during play and interaction. The conclusion is that the educators' knowledge of protective and risk factors in preschool is crucial to strengthening children's mental health and well-being, which indicates the need for competence and training in the subject.