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Press release

Strong for the Youngest: Scientific Conference "Protecting Children's Rights in Daycare Centres"

Krippensituation, Kinder spielen mit Bausteinen
Kinderrechte in Krippen schützen © Adobe Stock

For around 15 years, an increasing number of younger children have been spending more and more time in daycare centres. Crèches, daycare centres and childminders must be safe places where the rights of all children are protected, where they can experience self-determination and co-determination, develop their personality to the full and are protected from discrimination, overstepping boundaries and violence. A scientific conference is being held today at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam (FHP) to present research findings on the extent to which children's rights are successfully realised in child day care. The scientific conference is a co-operation between the FHP, the Institute for Further Education, Research and Development (IFFE e.V.) and the German League for the Child.

Daycare centres are faced with a constantly growing number of children to care for: in recent years, the number of two-year-olds has doubled and the number of one-year-olds has even tripled. The quality of daycare centres must meet the needs and rights of children to support, participation and protection and be geared towards their best interests.

Scientists from the Department of Social and Educational Sciences at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam (FHP) are today presenting the results of a study on daycare centres together with invited experts and researchers from Early Childhood Studies. Together with experts from the field, they will discuss the requirements for everyday educational situations and a high-quality childcare environment. Prof. Dr. Frauke Hildebrandt, Professor of Childhood Education at the Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences at the FHP: "We still have a problem with the implementation of children's rights in crèches, especially with regard to participation rights. We urgently need to address this, especially at a time when there is a shortage of skilled staff."

The conference will focus on child rights-based pedagogical action in connection with findings on attachment and relationships: What is absolutely necessary in order to organise everyday situations in a child-friendly way? In which situations and under which conditions does the child's welfare suffer? How can they be avoided in childcare centres and how can childcare centres be supported in this?

The participating scientists include: Prof. Dr. Lieselotte Ahnert, Prof. Dr. Fabienne Becker-Stoll, Prof. Dr. Astrid Boll, Prof. Dr. Dorothee Gutknecht, Prof. Dr. Frauke Hildebrandt, Prof. Dr. Karsten Krauskopf, Prof. Dr. Jörg Maywald, Prof. Dr. Iris Nentwig-Gesemann, Bianka Pergande, Prof. Dr. Regina Remsperger-Kehm, Prof. Dr. Susanne Viernickel, Prof. Dr. Catherine Walter-Laager, Prof. Dr. Dörte Weltzien

You can find more information about the conference programme here.