From Hard to Reach Families to Easy to Reach Services
Offered by ICDI - International Childhood Development Initiatives & JES Rijnland (the Netherlands)
Hosts: ICDI – JES Rijnland - Public Health service GGD Hollands Midden
Date: June 17, 2019
Time: From 9.00 to 13.00
Location: Leiden, Child Rights Home, Hooglandse kerkgracht 17.
See the agenda here.
Objectives
Increasing accessibility to services to support all families with young children and especially vulnerable ones, is a pillar of inclusive and universal high quality early childhood education and care (ECEC). This is still a challenge in many contexts. During this half-day pre-conference workshop, titled ‘From hard to reach families to easy to reach services’ we aim to present, explore and discuss some very promising practices that were successful in increasing accessibility and inclusiveness.
The workshop aims to facilitate shared learning and exchange on note-worthy practices when working positively and respectfully with ‘hard to reach’ families and communities, with the ultimate goal to support child development and well-being.
The focus is on three pioneering approaches to work with families with young children, and especially those who may be marginalised. These will be presented through the stories of three young children, one Dutch, one Hungarian and one Slovenian and the use of interactive exercises.
The first approach is the GIZ methodology, developed in the context of the Academic Collaborative Center by the Preventive Youth Health Care (GGD-Hollands Midden). The GIZ methodology supports professionals with knowledge, skills and tools to actively engage parents in assessing the strengths and care needs of children (0-23 years old) and families so that they can access appropriate support services when necessary.
The second one is the ‘VVV- approach’, developed by JES Rijnland to reach out, find the family’s, help them to ask the questions they have about parenthood and connect them with the right programme’s or organisations.
Finally, the third one is the award-winning TOY for Inclusion approach. This is designed to promote access to non-formal and inclusive ECEC services for children with a migrant and minority background through play and intergenerational learning.
The objective is to discuss the key features of the three approaches, try out some tools and think about how they may be applied in other contexts.
The theme
The theme of this workshop was chosen in order to highlight practices and approaches in community-based non-formal Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) that have proven effective in:
- building bridges between families and ECEC services;
- building trust between families of different backgrounds;
- supporting interaction and learning across all generations including older adults in the community;
- providing a community space for inter-agency cooperation between early years services.
Participants
This workshop welcomes particularly representatives from policy and practice. All those who wish to learn more about community based ECEC approaches, which prioritise local leadership and participation, diversity, equity and inclusion in ECEC and interagency cooperation are invited to register for this workshop.
Presenters
During interactives sessions, there will be presentations by Giulia Cortellesi of the International Child Development Initiatives, coordinator of TOY for Inclusion (www.toy4inclusion.eu) and two TOY for Inclusion implementers: Mateja Mlinar from the Educational Research Institute, Slovenia and Eva Deak, Director of Partners Hungary Foundation. Co-presenters are Nicoline Hoos from JES Rijnland and Marianne Bontje from Preventive Youth Health Care service in Leiden - GGD Hollands Midden.
Practical Information
This workshop is offered free of charge to participants in the ISSA Conference 2019. Lunch and coffee breaks will be served. Participants will be charged a small fee of 15 euro to cover catering costs.
Register
Visit the registration page to reserve your place at this pre-conference event. This event has a limited number of seats. To make sure you reserve your seat, register as soon as possible.