Responding to gender-based violence at the open preschool: Evaluating a co-designed training and intervention program

Time period:

1 December 2025 – 30 November 2028

Project leader:

Georgina Warner

Project member:

Sara Skoog Waller

Funder:

Swedish Research Council

Type of award:

Project grant

Total funding:

5,071,000 SEK

Gender-based violence (GBV), including domestic violence, remains a critical issue in Sweden, disproportionately affecting socially isolated women, including migrants and mothers of young children. Open preschools serve as key community hubs but have not been used for GBV intervention. This project evaluates "Everyone’s Right to Feel Well", a co-designed program that trains open preschool staff and facilitates discussions about GBV and associated support services within a 15-week civic orientation course.The project employs a mixed-methods approach over three years. How GBV training influences open preschool staff will be assessed via pre/post surveys (N>34), interviews (N>10), and observations (N>10). Participating women’s outcomes will be evaluated through a quasi-experimental pre/post control study (N>128; 64 per group) measuring changes in attitudes toward GBV, social support, empowerment, and service awareness. A difference-in-differences analysis will track online engagement with GBV resources and service contacts in intervention vs. control areas. The project involves survivor representatives, the National Centre for Knowledge on Men’s Violence Against Women, Open Preschools, and knowledge of local services.This study fosters GBV awareness and community responsiveness, reaching migrant mothers in a trusted, non-stigmatizing setting. If effective, the program can be scaled nationally, improving GBV intervention strategies across Sweden and beyond.