”Vi gör så gott vi kan”

Abstract

This study aims to explore how teachers in school-age educare describe their conditions for and work with offering learning and development support to pupils. The study is based on a web survey with both fixed and open response options. The following research questions are posed: How do teachers in school-age educare describe their conditions for working with supporting pupils? How do teachers in school-age educare describe their assignment to support pupils? And, finally, in what way can school-age educare’s social pedagogical tradition be a resource when supporting pupils? The results indicate the existence of both staff and resource shortages in school-age educare centres. Despite this, the staff describes their work to include all pupils as a reorganisation of the physical and the social learning environment in the centres. The respondents report several reasons for this: flawed premises, large groups of students, untrained staff and insufficient cooperation between different staff groups. However, the respondents’ answers also mention special educational elements, even if social adaptations are predominant and the after-school leisure centre's supplementary assignment to the school is primarily characterised by relational and social support for students. Finally, the answers also indicate the need for more competence and knowledge in offering optimal support to students from a compensatory perspective. These answers reveal an ongoing conflict between the leisure centre’s traditional care responsibility and its newly gained educational responsibility for the leisure-centre staff.