Be-Prox. An effectiveness study of a bullying intervention in Norwegian kindergartens.

Bullying can destroy lives. Approximately 40,000 children are bullied in Norwegian primary schools yearly. We know that these negative acts start already in kindergarten. In this project, we will examine how an anti-bullying intervention contributes to prevent and handle bullying in Norwegian kindergartens. In 2021, changes to the Norwegian Kindergarten Act ensured Norwegian kindergarten children the right to a safe kindergarten environment. According to this act, Norwegian kindergartens should systematically work to prevent bullying and social exclusion, including adopting a zero-tolerance for violations such as exclusion, bullying, violence, discrimination, and harassment. BeProx was developed in Switzerland with the aim to systematically prevent and handle bullying in kindergartens through increased competence among kindergarten staff. In Switzerland, introducing BeProx in kindergartens led to a decrease in the number of children who experienced bullying. In a pilot study in Askøy municipality, the intervention has been translated and adjusted to Norwegian conditions and tested in municipality's kindergartens. This project aims to evaluate the effectiveness of BeProx in Norwegian kindergartens in a cluster randomized controlled trial. The project is a collaboration between RKBU West and Health and Society, NORCE and RKBU North, UiT Norway's Arctic University, as well as Bjørnafjorden and Narvik municipality. The aim of the project is threefold, and we will examine the effect of BeProx to prevent and handle bullying and negative acts between Norwegian kindergarten children, factors that promote and inhibit implementation in Norwegian municipalities, and the cost-effectiveness of introducing BeProx in Norwegian kindergartens compared to usual practice. If BeProx proves to be effective in a Norwegian context, the intervention can be offered as knowledge-based practice to prevent and handle bullying in kindergartens nationwide.

In January 2021, new additions to the Kindergarten Act came into force in Norway introducing the right for all children to a safe and sound kindergarten environment. According to the act, Norwegian kindergartens shall work systematically in preventing bullying and social exclusion and adopt a zero-tolerance for violations such as exclusion, bullying, violence, discrimination, and harassment. The national regulation Framework plan for Norwegian kindergartens' tasks and content, states that kindergartens should adopt a system of internal quality assurance to ensure compliance with legislation and the new regulations against bullying. The municipalities, as the local kindergarten authorities, are responsible for ensuring that kindergartens are run in accordance with laws and regulations and should provide guidance to the kindergartens based on local circumstances and needs. A growing body of research suggests that bullying occurs also between kindergarten peers and that this is associated with negative consequences later. There are few evidence-based interventions directly targeting bullying among kindergarten peers. The current project aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the Be-Prox intervention in a cluster randomized controlled trial in Norwegian kindergartens in close collaboration between Norwegian municipalities, research and educational institutions, and regional centres for child and youth mental health and welfare. The Be-Prox intervention aims to systematically prevent and handle bullying through increased understanding and skills among kindergarten personnel. Hence the project complies with the current call by introducing research on tools, systems, and models that promote evidence-based practices in Norwegian kindergartens in general, and to prevent bullying between kindergarten peers in particular. If proven effective, Be-Prox can be offered as an evidence-based practice to kindergartens nationwide ensuring the sustainability of findings.