10.8 Current debates and reforms
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Forthcoming policy developments
In December 2022, the Prime Minister presented the platform of the government elected on November 1, 2022. At the time of writing, the government’s programme for bills to be presented is not yet known, and a Finance Bill for 2023 has not yet been passed in Parliament. Therefore, the following description is based on information from the government platform.
The government plans to initiate a new report on pedagogical development. The purpose of this report is to initiate a dialogue on the pedagogical work in institutions, schools, after-school care (SFO og fritidshjem) and youth clubs. Furthermore, the government platform states that a good childhood is crucial to a good life. All children must learn to believe in themselves and have the spirit and character that enable them to build their lives and benefit the communities they enter. This presupposes good facilities and structures, in the family, leisure time activities, local communities, day care and schools. The structures ensure the necessary learning – formal learning as well as social learning – and, at the same time, leave room for children’s free play.
Ongoing debates
Youth work is not widely debated in the public debate, but occasionally it is discussed whether youth work (fritidspædagogik) is the answer to the increase in young people’s failure to thrive.
The reform of primary and lower secondary schools in 2013 introduced longer school hours, and as a consequence, leisure time has decreased. Therefore, some politicians, youth workers and pedagogues argue that municipal out-of-school offers for children and young people were deprioritised. However, in the Spring of 2022, some parliamentarians summoned the minister for children and education with the purpose to establish a partnership on youth work loosely translated as Cooperation about Leisure time (Sammen om Fritiden) as a counterpart to the partnership Cooperation about School (Sammen om skolen). The cooperation aims to bring together pedagogues, school leaders, researchers, municipalities and politicians to strengthen leisure time activities and youth work, for instance, by increasing staff and developing a 10-year plan.