Análisis sectorial

In NRW, a state-wide parental organisation exists that advocates the interests of par- ents with children in ECEC services. It is composed of representatives of the parent councils of individual day-care services, who elect the parent council of the local Youth Office. These regional bodies then elect the state-level representatives for the organi- sation.

Family centres are very active in involving parents with the programme of their chil- dren. These have the particular position of engaging entire families, rather than sim- ply a parent; a programme for engaging the entire family should be developed in or- der to obtain the quality label. It is also the task of the family centres to be aware of the situation of the family, and act on it. Through this wider focus, family centres can offer more and better services that can contribute to better child development that are focused on what is needed in particular neighbourhoods and specific families.

A family centre should offer specialised programmes to children, while also providing support and counselling for parents. Parents can drop by with questions they have re- garding the raising of their child. Also, specific to the requirements of the local com- munities regular courses should be developed for the parents by the family centre. The idea is that these parental services are offered with a low threshold, where par- ents will come to drop their children anyway. The quality label that is awarded, does

1 _{Ministerium für Familie, Kinder, Jugend, Kultur und Sport des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen (2012),}

Grundsätze zur Bildungsförderung für Kinder von 0 bis 10 Jahren in Kindertageseinrichtungen und Schulen im Primarbereich in Nordrhein-Westfalen, p. 71.

2 _{Ministerium für Familie, Kinder, Jugend, Kultur und Sport des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen (2012),}

Grundsätze zur Bildungsförderung für Kinder von 0 bis 10 Jahren in Kindertageseinrichtungen und Schulen im Primarbereich in Nordrhein-Westfalen, p72.

not specifically guarantee the overall quality of day-care, but instead focuses specifi- cally on the requirements of ECEC institutions that go beyond the basics of day-care and are required to transform into family centres. This means that, next to the basic criteria that apply to all day-care centres, family centres are judged based on criteria that are vital for realising the goal of family centres. The provision of a nutritious lunch is for instance often organised by day-care services, but is absolutely essential for family centres which serve to combine working parents and family responsibilities. Family centres with the label receive additional financial support from the state to conduct their additional activities (such as parental courses).

The added value of these Family centres can be seen at some more specific centres; consider one particular family centre in an area with a lot of Roma women. Here, this particular centre hired a midwife, to assist pregnant (Roma) women on practical and healthcare issues. Otherwise it would have been much harder to reach these women. By playing a more active role in the local community, the centres are able to signifi- cantly lower the threshold and provide tailor-made services to the local demands. The quality label “Familienzentrum” takes such specific measures into account; it is ob- tained by scoring a certain number of points from a large list. One particular service may be provided in one area, but not in another, whereas both centres are eligible for the quality label. Another family centre for instance, offers provisions for older kids to do their homework there; the clear goal of these centres is to be more than just child- care for the young children.

2.1.18. Parental involvement for children at risk

Through the particular focus of Family centres on the local community, these centres take their task of reaching children at risk very seriously. Through the networks of parents that are visiting the centre, parents that would otherwise not be engaged are reached, for day-care services, but equally so for the additional services that these centres have to offer. The flexible design of the quality label allows for tailor-made services to the local community, while also providing a minimum level of services.

2.1.19. Literature used

 Jugendministerkonferenz (2004), Gemeinsamer Rahmen der Länder für die frü- he Bildung in Kindertageseinrichtungen, http://www.bildungsserver.de/Jugend-

und-Familienministerkonferenz-2039.html (visited on March 19, 2013)

 Ministerium für Familie, Kinder, Jugend, Kultur und Sport des Landes Nord- rhein-Westfalen (2012), Grundsätze zur Bildungsförderung für Kinder von 0 bis 10 Jahren in Kindertageseinrichtungen und Schulen im Primarbereich in Nord- rhein-Westfalen, http://www.bildungsgrundsaetze.nrw.de/

 Ministerium für Familie, Kinder, Jugend, Kultur und Sport des Landes NRW, Gü- tesiegel Nordrhein-Westphalen.

Websites

 http://www.mfkjks.nrw.de/kinder-und-jugend/betreuung-fuer-unter-

dreijaehrige/ (visited on March 7)

 https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/fpfis/mwikis/eurydice/ (visited March 5)

 http://www.fruehe-chancen.de (visited March 5)

 http://www.bildungsgrundsaetze.nrw.de/fileadmin/dateien/PDF/Erprobung-der-

Grundsaetze-zur-Bildungsfoerderung_Erfahrungen-aus-der-Praxis.pdf

 http://www.bmfsfj.de/BMFSFJ/gesetze,did=133282.html (visited on March 5)

 http://www.laendermonitor.de/uebersicht-grafiken/indikator-11a1-

qualifika-

tionsniveaus/indikator/9/indcat/11/indsubcat/5/index.nc.html?no_cache=1&peri

od=131&dimension=0 (visited on March 5)

 http://www.mehrmännerinkitas-mv.de/ / http://www.koordination-

maennerinkitas.de/ (visited on March 6)

 http://www.runder-tisch.eu/ (visited on March 6)

 http://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/soziales/0,1518,854510,00.html (visited on

March 5)

2.1.20. Respondents interviewed

Name Organisation Country

Nina Schadt Taskforce U3-ausbau - NRW Germany – Nordrhein

Westfalen Dagmar Friedrich Ministry of Family, Children,

Youth, Culture and Sports of NRW

Germany – Nordrhein Westfalen

Markus Quetting Landeselternbeirat NRW – Parent Organisation NRW

Germany – Nordrhein Westfalen

Sonja Boos Landeselternbeirat NRW – Parent

Organisation NRW

Germany – Nordrhein Westfalen