VBJK

VBJK is all about Innovation in the Early Years

Innovation

It's in our baseline...

In English VBJK's baseline is Centre for Innovation in the Early Years. In French Centre d'Innovation de la Petite Enfance.

This is exactly what we do. At the crossroads of research, policy en practice, we work on high quality ECEC services in Early Childhood Education and Care.

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Just one of our projects

START | A good start for all

Theme(s):
Transition

At VBJK we enhance innovation in ECEC project by project. We do this at the crossroads between practice, policy and research. START for example is a project with national and international action research.

How can basic provision work together towards smooth and warm transitions to pre-primary school? How do we arrange for transitions to go well for more vulnerable children? In this project, VBJK cooperates with local ECEC services and European partners such as the Pen Green Institute, the University of Bologna and the University of Ljubljana, to develop a pethood of professional learning to improve transition processes.

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Just one of our publications

Ubuntu

When Tierlantuin won the Evens Prize for Peace Education, this childcare centre in Ghent decided to make a movie about their inclusive and democratic work with children.

Together with parents, the people from the surrounding neighbourhood, volunteers and partner organisations Tierlantuin creates a warm nest where all children are welcomed.

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Upcoming event

Toy for Inclusion project - Conference: Community Based Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) for Roma Children & Families

High quality Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) is an essential foundation for children’s wellbeing, lifelong learning, social integration, personal development. However, research suggests that the considerable and growing disparities in access to quality education and increasing segregation in European schools start at a very young age.

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Project

Publication

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Theme

Cooperating in a network

Informal support & social cohesion

Inclusion & diversity

Partnership with parents

Professionalisation

Transition

Pedagogy of the young child

Gender balance

To be expected

VBJK has 9 themes

Cooperating in a network

Why would organisations, working for families, begin to work together? The potential of networks.

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VBJK has 9 themes

Informal support & social cohesion

Wherever parents and children get together, there are always elements of social exchange and informal social support. How can we, in turn, create an environment that facilitates and stimulates this important form of parental support?

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VBJK has 9 themes

Inclusion & diversity

How do we make sure that every child and every family can access ECEC services for Early Childhood Education and Care? Focus on the importance of inclusion and accessibility.

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VBJK has 9 themes

Partnership with parents

To give children what they need, ECEC services work together with fathers and mothers. This is about the power of co-educating.

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VBJK has 9 themes

Professionalisation

Within a competent system, competent workers continue to grow.

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VBJK has 9 themes

Transition

What do families and children need for a good start in pre-primary education? It’s all about smooth and warm transitions.

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VBJK has 9 themes

Pedagogy of the young child

High quality interactions with young children remain a priority in ECEC provision.

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VBJK has 9 themes

Gender balance

A plea for more male professionals and more attention for fathers in all ECEC services for Early Childhood Education and Care.

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VBJK has 9 themes

To be expected

VBJK is keeping an eye on upcoming themes and helps developing new ideas and views, even before they get a specific name.

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Area of work

VBJK has 4 areas of work

Childcare for babies & toddlers

Childcare is a basic provision for children from 0 to 3 years. And for their families. VBJK supports professionals in this sector, both in group settings as in childcare at home (with a child-minder), to give the best they’ve got for quality in childcare.

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VBJK has 4 areas of work

Pre-primary education

A good start is half the battle. A good start in pre-primary education is very important. How can we make the transition for children, from home or from childcare to school, as good as possible? VBJK advocates for a warm and smooth transition. With a focus on care and education and attention for the child and his parents.

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VBJK has 4 areas of work

Out of school care

School-age children can also spend time in out of school care. It is their leisure time, ‘free’ time. How do they experience this time, when organised by others? How can out of school care guarantee this free time is also a fine time for children? VBJK explores new roads and possible cooperation in this area.

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VBJK has 4 areas of work

Parental support

Parental support covers a vast area of work. It refers to all possible activities, programs and (policy) measures that families experience as being supportive. It contains many organisations, committing themselves to working with families, such as the Flemish Family Centres. VBJK helps organisations to develop expertise in cooperating, in social support and social cohesion, in parent participation, parental support and more.

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