Artevelde college

Together with the ECEC sector, VBJK has been working on professionalisation for years. In order to work with young children, professionals need a learning, curious attitude, openness to shape ad reshape tailored relations with parents and children, relating to an ever changing society in growing diversity.

Our research into professionalisation therefore focuses on one central question: what helps professional develop this openness and willingness to change, by which they can warmheartedly support all children in their overall development? Step by step the adult education modules learned how to link theory and practice and slowly consensus grew on the fact that a professional with training on bachelor level is necessary in every children’s group..

In 2008 Jan Peeters ended his doctorate ‘The Warm professional’ with recommendations for such a bachelor education for childcare. During the years to follow, work was being done at Kind and Gezin (Child and Family, Flemish public agency for a.o. childcare) with university colleges, universities, policy advisors and representatives from the ECEC sector in developing the shape and content of such a bachelor training. In 2011, it finally happened: in Brussels, Antwerp and Ghent, 3 university colleges started with the bachelor program ‘Pedagogy of the young child’.

Artevelde College provides the professional bachelor 'Pedagogie voor het Jonge Kind' in Ghent.