Pedagogical experts speak up

Within the Academic Platform of KidsFoundation, academically educated pedagogues, psychologists and educationalists work together to professionalise the practice of childcare. Who is involved in this beautiful mission? Get to know these colleagues.

Annemieke Postma
Child and adolescent psychologist

‘Childcare is of great value for the development of children, in terms of motor, cognitive, socio-emotional and moral aspects.’

‘Childcare is of great value for the development of children, in terms of motor, cognitive, socio-emotional and moral aspects.’

Annemieke Postma
Child and adolescent psychologist

Thanks to science we can put together a modern policy for preschools, crèches and afterschool care facilities – a policy that is practical in its implementation and is all about the optimal development of young children. Childcare is of great value to children’s development in all kinds of areas: motor, cognitive, socio-emotional and moral. It is therefore important for us to keep learning from scientific insights. We are already seeing that learning while playing, for example, has major effects.

From my background as a child and adolescent psychologist I have a strong interest in the moral development of children. A child is not born with a notion of what is or isn’t allowed. It still has to learn the rules: from home, from childcare and from society. The child gradually learns to make assessments in new situations, and a good sense of morality helps in the process. The behaviour of the educational staff is therefore extremely important: after all, children learn best by example.

Annemieke Constandse
Pedagogue

‘For some children, nursery and preschool education is essential in order to make up for developmental delays.’

‘For some children, nursery and preschool education is essential in order to make up for developmental delays.’

Annemieke Constandse
Pedagogue

For KidsFoundation, my focus lies on nursery and preschool education. Difficult home situations reduce children’s opportunities of having a successful school career. They can often be lagging behind at the early age of two already. Research shows that nursery and preschool education helps to make up for many such delays. I am happy to help KidsFoundation with supplementary research or in guiding one of the Master’s students.

Now that the IKK LAW (legislation for innovation and quality in childcare) has come into force, we will also need to conduct research into day care for children aged 0-2 years. One aspect is the effects of the smaller professional staff-child ratio. And how does that influence the quality of care services? In my work as location manager at Smallsteps I am involved in quality improvement on a daily basis. And I can also contribute to that: when I coach the educational staff positively, the effects are beneficial.

Willemijn van der Zwaan
Orthopedagogue

'Science gives us knowledge and insight into how we can best help children in their development.'

'Science gives us knowledge and insight into how we can best help children in their development.'

Willemijn van der Zwaan
Orthopedagogue

Already as a student in Pedagogical Sciences I was interested in child and adolescent psychiatry. I have experience in the diagnosis and treatment of children with various problems such as ADHD, autism and attachment issues. Now, in my work as quality manager at Smallsteps childcare, I welcome the challenge of supporting educational scientists in guiding children. Every child is unique and requires a different approach.

A good care network is very important for children with unusual behaviour. Together with the educational staff of the parents I see what is possible so that the child can develop optimally within the group. I do what I can to foster cooperation with institutions, schools, and the Integral Child Centre. In the future I want to work on the research into play development that grew partly out of a collaboration between Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and KidsFoundation. What are the support, materials and designs that children learn best with?

Larissa Snel
Pedagogue

‘In their behaviour and play, children show how unlimited their creativity is. Everything is allowed and everything is possible: that sense of amazement is magnificent.’

‘In their behaviour and play, children show how unlimited their creativity is. Everything is allowed and everything is possible: that sense of amazement is magnificent.’

Larissa Snel
Pedagogue

Children are bursting with energy, fantasy and creativity. In the 0-4 age range they are not inhibited by awareness yet. Everything is allowed and everything is possible: they are constantly amazed. The most beautiful part about my profession is that I can follow children in their interests. I observe their behaviour and their play, and verify how unlimited their creativity is. But how can we best stimulate this creativity? It is important to keep conducting scientific research into this topic, and for the new knowledge to be properly applied into childcare

Esther Scharn
Pedagogue

‘Childcare is always personalised. For the best practical approach it is essential to always think out-of-the-box.'

‘Childcare is always personalised. For the best practical approach it is essential to always think out-of-the-box.'

Esther Scharn
Pedagogue

There are tenacious convictions about childcare out there: that it is sad for a child to attend daycare, that ever-changing pedagogical insights are bad for children’s development, that little kids cannot play together. As location manager I see every day that this couldn’t be further from the truth. This is why it is essential for our practice to always think out-of-the-box. Childcare is always personalised: every child is unique and so is our approach. And if parents have specific wishes? Then we also have to think in terms of possibilities. It is in the best interest of the child

Janneke van Lummel
Psychologist

‘Interaction with children is important for their well-being. You can learn those skills through interdisciplinary research.’

‘Interaction with children is important for their well-being. You can learn those skills through interdisciplinary research.’

Janneke van Lummel
Psychologist

Structuring, stimulating, and offering the right kind of emotional support. The interaction skills of educational staff are important for children’s development. How can we demonstrate which form of support works the best? By conducting research from different disciplines, such as pedagogy, educational theory and psychology. A shared vision shows the aspects in which professionals can keep growing. Science is a perfect means to professionalise childcare.

Michelle Kluiters
Pedagogue

‘Discovering and establishing boundaries: it is how children grow. A challenging offering of activities is helpful to this process.’

‘Discovering and establishing boundaries: it is how children grow. A challenging offering of activities is helpful to this process.’

Michelle Kluiters
Pedagogue

For my studies in Pedagogical Sciences I conducted research into the development of children in orphanages and in families. What did I find out? That not only the quality of the care offered makes a difference, but also the quality of the activities offered. I am applying this insight to childcare, where I work as location manager. I continuously re-evaluate and improve the activities offerings, so that we keep challenging children. In this way I give children the chance to explore their boundaries and expand them in a safe environment.

Inge Smit
Developmental psychologist

‘Interplay between research and practice produces the best kind of childcare. That applies for early detection too.’

‘Interplay between research and practice produces the best kind of childcare. That applies for early detection too.’

Inge Smit
Developmental psychologist

What is good for a child? This question is essential when creating policy for childcare, instructing educational staff and informing parents. Our own ideas about childrearing and development take a back seat here. This is about the interaction between scientific research and practice, which produces the best kind of childcare. The same applies to early detection, so that we can intervene as early as possible when there are developmental and childrearing issues. This is of course done based on a pedagogical partnership with the parents.

Marjan Schaap
Educationalist

‘Educational staff in childcare do so much more than mind the children: they contribute to their upbringing’.

‘Educational staff in childcare do so much more than mind the children: they contribute to their upbringing’.

Marjan Schaap
Educationalist

Permanent education is essential for the quality of childcare. As an educational expert my interest lies in the growth of educational professionals. How do educational professionals remain curious? How do we ensure that teams become intrinsically motivated to keep learning? I deal with such issues at Smallsteps, where I work as HR manager. At the HR department we create the right conditions to stimulate expertise, using the latest practical and theoretical insights.

I strongly believe in the added value of childcare for the upbringing of children. Educational staff in childcare and aftercare facilities do so much more than mind the children: they contribute to a good, high-quality upbringing. Parents frequently approach us with questions about upbringing. Based on well-founded and applied research, we can substantiate our answers and give parents concrete advice. This is how I want to make a difference with my work for KidsFoundation!