The economic function offers opportunities for parents to actively participate in the labor market or to follow a course.The pedagogical function guarantees development opportunities in high-quality childcare where children can fully develop physically, emotionally and socially. Childcare is a place where children meet and come into contact with the world. They learn to deal with diversity with respect.

The social function contributes to a just society in which social integration is promoted and exclusion mechanisms are prevented. Childcare is a meeting place for families, an equal and reciprocal partnership is paramount. Families are invited to actively participate in the daycare. All this takes place inlocal society with an eye for neighborhood-oriented networks. Be it the parent teacher app or anything else, the deals are perfect now.

With this ambition text, the Flemish Welfare Association undertakes to raise awareness among its members and to encourage them to strengthen the social function in childcare.

Working on the social function in childcare has no endpoint, it is a continuous process that people go through together with employees, families and partner organizations. We respect the own pace and the accents that put facilities first.

Through the working group on diversity and social function, we want to inspire members and promote the exchange of experiences, practices, and points for attention.

High-quality childcare is social childcare

The facility has an open attitude and shows respect for the individuality of each child and his family. People are aware of prejudices and their effects on children and their families. Young children come into contact with differences in a positive way, the focus is on the similarities. Children and their families are welcome in the shelter, the facility takes the initiative to give everyone the feeling of belonging, with a view to positive identity development and a warm atmosphere. Focus is on social inclusion, people strive for meeting and connection between people. For the preschool enrollment also the apps come quite useful.

Pedagogical support

This open and respectful attitude is possible when there is mutual care in the organization. Strengthening the team requires pedagogical support, employees are encouraged to fulfill the social function of childcare daily and for all parents. Childcare facilities are learning organizations with a focus on reflection on their actions and adjustments where necessary. Childcare workers are supported and guided in the challenge of questioning their pedagogical behavior (people are sufficiently certain to be vulnerable). We underline the power of the talents that are present in the facility and that are fully deployed to learn from each other. All in all, the care management softwarereally offers the best results.

Parent involvement

From various projects, we learn the added value of experiential experts. They bring in a new perspective and encourage reflection on the relationship between childcare and families. In this respect, we consider every parent to be an expert. They know their own child best and are the most important partner in education. They can tell the organization what the barriers are and where there are points for attention. This requires an open and listening-ready attitude in the facility.

Parent involvement also takes concrete and practical forms, parents are invited to use their strengths in daycare and thus actively participate. Active participation in policy development in the facility also gives parents a voice.