The Clown Club was founded in 1995 with the aim of supporting and encouraging an intercultural learning process between children, their parents, and the staff in a safe and stimulating environment. There are English-speaking and Dutch-speaking groups. Children with different cultural backgrounds are present in all groups, and our staff is also international in composition. The interaction between the children and the childcare worker is important in conveying cultural diversity. To promote this learning process, the group leaders handle themes about different countries, for example, and The Clown Club organizes ‘International Day’ (an open day for parents and children). On ‘International Day’, parents and children can further get to know different cultural traditions, clothing, and dishes.

The Clown Club accommodates 82 children, divided into 6 groups. The number of children per group is determined according to the Collective Labor Agreement (CAO) standard for Childcare.

• Babies 0 – 15 months: 6 children : 2 pedagogical professionals
• English 1 10-30 months: 14 children : 3 pedagogical professionals
• English 2 24-60 months: 16 children : 2 pedagogical professionals
• Dutch 1 10 –30 months: 15 children : 3 pedagogical professionals
• Dutch 2 24 –48 months: 14 children : 2 pedagogical professionals
• Dutch 3 24 –48 months: 14 children : 2 pedagogical professionals

The Clown Club works with an average group composition. This means that the staffing levels are based on the average number of children per day per age group mentioned above.

Ages may vary slightly depending on the child’s individual developmental level and the available space in the next group.

The ratio between the number of professional staff and the number of children in a base group is as follows:

• 1 professional per 3 children present up to 1 year old
• 1 professional per 5 children present from 1 to 2 years old
• 1 professional per 8 children present from 2 up to 4 years old

For children of different ages in one group, the arithmetic average is calculated, whereby the total of the calculation can be rounded up.

It is important for children that childcare takes place in a familiar environment with the same group of children and permanent staff. At The Clown Club, every child therefore has their own base group. This means that every group has a fixed group of children in a fixed group room. Before a child starts, parents receive information about which group their child will be in.

When children leave their own base group/group room for activities, the maximum size of the base group is temporarily released. This means that more children can be present in a group room. For example, two toddler groups are cared for in one group with a permanent staff member from both groups, or groups are cared for together in the outdoor area where the group’s own pedagogical professional is also present.

Deployment of professional staff

Permanent pedagogical professionals are assigned to each group, except for illness, leave, and holidays. The children are cared for and looked after by qualified pedagogical professionals, certified in accordance with the Childcare CAO. As a recognized training company, The Clown Club has, in addition to experienced staff, students who work and study under the guidance of our work supervisors and practical trainers. All pedagogical professionals are registered in the national personal register for childcare.

These employees also receive coaching within The Clown Club from the pedagogical coach who is hired externally. The coaching plan is available from the management of The Clown Club.

If fewer children than the maximum group size are present (for example, during holiday periods or when groups are under-occupied), a staff member works alone or groups can be merged. When merging groups, the permanent pedagogical professionals of the groups are present. For example, group 1 merges with group 2. A pedagogical professional from both group 1 and group 2 is then present.

As a rule, during opening hours, fewer staff members can be deployed than required according to the professional-child ratio for a maximum of three hours per day (not consecutive), provided that at least half of the required number of professional staff is deployed. If only one pedagogical professional is deployed, at least one other staff member is present to support this pedagogical professional and serves as a backup in case of emergencies. In the absence of a pedagogical professional, a substitute or another staff member from The Clown Club joins the group.

At the beginning and end of the day and during nap time, there are fewer pedagogical professionals in the groups due to the different shifts and taking breaks. An open-door policy therefore applies at the beginning and end of the day. In this, English 1 and Dutch 1 work together and Dutch 2 and Dutch 3 work together. The Babyroom works together with English 1. English 2 works together with Dutch 2. Between 7:00 AM and 8:00 AM, the children are cared for by 2 pedagogical professionals in the Dutch 1 or English 1 classroom.

The break time is between 12:30 PM and 3:00 PM; at this time most children are sleeping, which means the workload for the pedagogical professionals is less heavy. Between these times, the pedagogical professionals are absent from the group for one hour in turns.

If there are three pedagogical professionals in a group, one of these people will go on break at 1:30 PM, the ‘intermediate’ break. The teachers maintain a one-hour break.

If a total of 3 pedagogical professionals are working on the upper floor, the break times are shortened to 45 minutes per teacher. This way, there are always two pedagogical professionals present on a floor.

A pedagogical professional starts at 7:45 AM/8:00 AM in each group. The next pedagogical professional starts at 8:30 AM. If a third pedagogical professional is working, this person starts at 8:15 AM. In this way, a pedagogical professional is never alone with more children than allowed, as not all children in a group are present at 8:30 AM.

In Dutch 2 and Dutch 3, the schedule is different on Wednesdays and Fridays. Due to the low number of children, the groups can be merged and two or three pedagogical professionals work. The first pedagogical professional finishes at 5:45 PM. The second pedagogical professional stays with the group until 6:15 PM or plays outside if 3 pedagogical professionals are working upstairs. After that, the groups merge.

Schedule

Outside these described hours, there is no deviation from the BKR (staff-child ratio).

Care in another base group

During your child’s intake, it was stated which base group your child has been placed in. If a child moves to another base group, this will be mentioned by the group’s pedagogical professionals. As an exception to the fixed placement in the base group, it may happen that child(ren) occasionally go to play in another group. Think of, for example, an exchange day, for pedagogical reasons (open-door policy, beginning and end of the day), lower occupancy, or in case of emergencies (sick staff). Groups can also be merged in some cases. During the merger, permanent pedagogical professionals are present and the structure of the day remains the same, and therefore recognizable for the child.

Article 5 paragraph 13 of the Childcare Quality Regulations makes it possible to merge groups and allow care to take place in a maximum of one other base group.

When logging into the Konnect parent portal, parents are asked for ‘permission for care in a 2nd base group’. By checking the permission, they indicate that they are aware of the above information and agree. Parents are informed via the Konnect parent portal if the children are being cared for in another group. If it is necessary for care to take place in another group, it is because there are sick pedagogical professionals and it cannot be solved with a substitute. At 9:30 AM, the office knows which children are ‘actually’ present that day. At that moment, it is determined whether it is truly necessary for children to be cared for in another base group.

Interns and professional staff in training

The Clown Club is a recognized training company. This means that we regularly supervise interns during their internship. These interns are extra staff and not alone, always in a fixed group and under the guidance of an internship supervisor. Tasks are agreed upon depending on the intern’s year of study. Final responsibility always lies with the pedagogical professional of the group concerned.

The internship supervisor guides the interns in the group during daily activities. The practical supervisor is a member of the office staff/pedagogical coach, and they assess the completed assignments.

Professional staff in training who are doing the work-study track (BBL) may be deployed as pedagogical professionals. One of the group’s permanent pedagogical professionals supervises them. At the beginning of their studies, professional staff are not assigned to the group alone, but are always alongside a permanent staff member. They do perform all the tasks that a permanent professional staff member does. It depends on the previous experience gained by the professional in training and on the progress of the study how many hours per day the professional in training may be alone in the group.

The work supervisors meet briefly every month with the professional in training or intern to see how things are going. If there are assignments to discuss in the meantime, a separate appointment is scheduled between the two. The practical trainer has a short meeting with the professional in training every three months and is further kept informed of progress by the work supervisor. A performance review takes place once a year.

At The Clown Club, we do not work with volunteers.

In our vision, the child is central; every child is unique. Every child must be able to develop in an environment where they feel safe and familiar. This happens at their own pace and in their own unique way. It is therefore important that the pedagogical professionals consciously observe the children. In this way, the pedagogical professional picks up on the signals given by the children. Observing, recognizing, and acknowledging these signals provides a good basis on which the pedagogical professional shapes their guidance.

Our vision on upbringing and parental responsibility is formed by our expert pedagogical professionals, pedagogical coach, and managers, with an open attitude towards existing and new theories and working methods.

The Clown Club strives to ensure that the care for the child aligns as much as possible with the upbringing at home.

In addition, the childcare center has its own responsibility, and upbringing in a group setting is not only a substitute for but also supplementary to the upbringing at home. Parents are always ultimately responsible, which is why open communication is a prerequisite for truly sharing the responsibility for upbringing.

The basis of our pedagogical policy is formed by the principles: emotional safety and trust, respect and independence, space and safety, and living in a group. (The 4 pedagogical basic goals of Riksen Walraven)

Emotional safety and trust

To ensure that a child feels comfortable, dares to take on new challenges, and can form relationships, it is important that a child can be themselves and feels safe enough to show their emotions, such as anger, sadness, and happiness. In this, we find the interaction between the child with their own individual characteristics and the environment in which they grow up important. Both factors contribute to the child’s growth and development into an independent, socially, and emotionally skilled person. Positive communication plays an important role here. We try to verbalize emotions and also use a lot of non-verbal communication. In our bilingual childcare center, this aspect has an extra dimension. It is also important that a child is familiar with the place and the way of care. The aim is for the same staff and children to be present at all times to guarantee this emotional safety.

Respect and independence

Every child has the right to be unconditionally accepted. This gives the child a sense of security to accept themselves and others as they are. This increases self-esteem and develops the child’s personal competencies. A child has a right to respect and must be given the space to develop in their own way. In doing so, the child is also encouraged to make their own choices and take initiatives independently, for example by letting children do as much as possible themselves and letting them ask for help when they need it. Of course, it is sometimes necessary to correct certain behavior in an appropriate way. Children cannot always be left free in their expression of independent action or behavior. During the day, situations will arise where there are conflicts. This too is part of growing up and being together in a group. Naturally, this behavior is corrected at TCC.

Correction does not happen with a punishment chair or time-out. The child is removed from the situation to think or cool down for a moment. This cooling-off period is used by the child and possibly the pedagogical professional to think or get rid of their anger. After this cooling-off period, older children are engaged in conversation to name the feelings and give recognition to these feelings. During that conversation, possible solutions can be discussed with the child. By looking closely at and guiding the children in time, we hope to avoid negative situations as much as possible. This allows us to keep the atmosphere in the groups positive and give the positive attention that all children deserve.

Space and safety

At The Clown Club, we find it important to give a child a challenging and secure environment in which the child can develop optimally. The space should be both safe and challenging, so that children feel invited to explore. We make the space challenging by furnishing it in such a way that different activities can take place. The opportunity is offered to play in different corners with different materials so that the choice is varied. There is the possibility of doing busy and quiet activities. On rainy and wintry days, activities are done indoors (in the hallway and in the living space), such as movement activities, music and dance, running, and chasing the ball. The outdoor space provides an excellent opportunity to stimulate the development of gross motor skills: it challenges children to run, cycle, and discover nature (leaves, bugs, sun, wind, and rain).

In all these activities and in these spaces, the children can fully enjoy themselves. We ensure that the children can discover and investigate these spaces in a safe way, by being alert to danger and to defects in material. Regularly, at least annually, we evaluate the risks and a plan of action is made to minimize or eliminate the risks.

Living in a group

Childcare is intended for more than just care; it provides an environment in which upbringing and social interaction are of great importance. Living in a group includes a number of important aspects such as doing things together, playing and sharing together, building friendships, creating a safe, secure atmosphere together, and having respect for each other, for each other’s things, and for the environment. The development of social competencies and the transfer of values and norms are naturally central to this. Living in a group also entails that there must be respect for both the group interest and the individual interest. At The Clown Club, a child has a right to individual attention and care, while also taking into account the interest of the group as a whole. The individual must not suffer because of the group, but the group must also not suffer because of the individual.

Furthermore, our starting point is that a playing child is a learning child. Chapter 5 describes how play is involved in the various developmental areas.

5. Pedagogical working method

5.1 The different developmental areas and creating developmental opportunities

In the first four years of life, a child develops from a dependent baby into a toddler and school-going child. A child who, if development proceeds successfully, faces the world with self-confidence and can manage quite well. The first years are generally considered a crucial period for the child’s development in many areas.

Children’s development does not proceed in the same way for every child. Every child has their own pace and has certain areas in which they develop more or less. Every child also has a great deal of potential within them. The situation in which the child grows up and the people surrounding the child play an important role in the way those possibilities are realized and at what pace that happens. Childcare makes an important contribution to this. Identifying developmental problems and responding to them by staff is also an important function of the childcare center.

The situation within The Clown Club is aimed at letting children spend the day in a safe and pleasant environment. In doing so, we consciously align with the developmental phase the child is in, both in a group setting and individually.

The following sub-areas can be distinguished in the development of children:

1. Physical development
2. Social-emotional development
3. Cognitive and language development
4. Creative development
5. Development of identity and self-reliance

5.2 Physical development

Between the ages of 0 and 4, children undergo great development in motor skills. The coordination and movement of the torso, arms, and legs together is called gross motor skills. A child from 0 to 1 already starts this by rolling from back to stomach and back again, tummy crawling, crawling, sitting up, and finally pulling themselves up and standing. In children from 0 to 1 year old, gross motor skills are stimulated by, for example, placing mats on the floor, playing in front of the mirror, or in the playpen. We try to challenge the child to move by placing challenging toys around the child, so that the child is encouraged to move. The child is also encouraged with words by the childcare worker.

The space in the Babyroom is arranged so that the child will always see or hear the pedagogical professionals. The pedagogical professionals regularly lie or sit on the floor with the children.

Gross motor skills in children from 1 to 4 years old are stimulated by materials and activities such as dance and movement games. At The Clown Club, challenging play opportunities are offered through various play materials and activities. The child must be able to clamber, slide, and jump, thereby learning their own capabilities. Among other things, the child learns to deal with height differences and danger.

We have materials available for this both outside and inside, such as a slide, tables, chairs, climbing equipment, and activities focused on movement games (parachute games, ball games, sack races, etc.).

Outside, the pedagogical professionals play along with the children. Some children find it exciting to go down the slide alone. With a little encouragement and a hand from the pedagogical professional, the children soon see that they can do it very well themselves.

Fine motor skills involve small movements that require coordination between eyes and hands. For example, a child from 0 to 1 year old will start reaching for and grabbing objects. Fine motor skills develop, among other things, in physical contact with the staff member and are stimulated by materials such as colored pencils, beads, pegboards, and puzzles. In babies, this is stimulated, for example, by rattles, the baby gym, and by playing games (grabbing a finger, pointing to the nose, etc.).

5.3 Social-emotional development

The relationship children have with their environment forms an important aspect of social development. This relationship refers in particular to a child’s need for safety and support from the environment. They want to belong somewhere and want to experience what it is like to be together with other children and adults. By interacting with peers and the group leaders, the child learns the effect of their behavior on others. This helps the child gain insight into their own feelings and learn to deal with reactions other than those the child normally receives from their loved ones. The child also learns early on the meaning of sharing, comforting, helping, considering others, and dealing with conflicts. Through the presence and support of the group leaders, the child learns to have trust in their environment. The child is then able to explore freely and play in this environment.

An example is saying goodbye to mom or dad at the beginning of the day. Some children find this difficult and are sad because of it. The pedagogical professional is ready for a big hug. Other children give the parent a hug and go play. Many children between the ages of 1 and 4 like to wave to mom or dad at the window for a moment. The teachers do this together with the child and then discuss together that mom or dad is going to work and what the children will be doing throughout the day. As soon as the child sees that the parent is gone, they often go and play happily. Waving together with other children often helps well too; the children help each other in this.

For children from 0 to 1 year old, it is very important to feel safe with the pedagogical professionals. Children react to sounds from others, both positive and negative. If a child who is playing by themselves is, for example, chatting away happily, it is clear that the child feels at ease.

The pedagogical professionals chat along happily. It also sometimes happens that children cry along with other children. This is a matter of getting used to things. After all, there are different sounds at home than in the Baby group. The bond that the pedagogical professionals build with the children from 0 to 1 is very important in this. A child who ‘dives’ into the neck of a pedagogical professional for a hug clearly feels at ease.

Secure attachment at a young age partly forms the basis for development into a stable adulthood. Our pedagogical professionals contribute to this by building a close bond with each child and also entering into a relationship of trust with the parents. The Clown Club strives for continuity of staff in the group.

The children from 0 to 1 year old have at least 2 familiar faces in the Babyroom. The children from 1 to 4 years old have 3 or 4 different faces per week. In addition to attention to the group and group processes, they make time and space for individual attention. Extra attention is given to the child in special situations such as settling in at The Clown Club, moving to another group, and saying goodbye.

For the development of the emotional life of children from 0 to 4 years old, it is very important that the child is in a safe and familiar environment. Especially with young children, emotional contacts such as touching each other, imitating each other, laughing, and hugging are of the utmost importance. Young children have their own way of expressing themselves. Observing and taking the children’s feelings seriously is therefore important. Changing and feeding, for example, are excellent moments for the group leaders to give individual attention to children from 0 to 1 year old. Listening to stories, crafting together, and playing together are the moments when all children receive more individual attention.

During mealtimes, there is also good attention for this. The pedagogical professional sits with the children at the table and asks what the children want to eat. Certain moments of the day are also discussed at the table, and every child gets the chance to chat along. During free play moments, the pedagogical professionals also regularly sit on the floor with the children so that the children can play, romp, cuddle, etc., with them. In this way, the children’s needs can be well observed.

The group leaders try to verbalize children’s feelings, such as happiness, anger, sadness, fear, and indifference. This way, the child learns to deal with their feelings, recognizes the feelings of other children, and also learns to deal with them. Sometimes it is necessary for a staff member to forbid certain behavior, while understanding the child’s feelings and at the same time setting clear boundaries for the children. Some behavioral expressions are not allowed by the group leaders, such as physical and verbal aggression. The group leaders remove the child from the situation and explain to the child what is not allowed. The group leaders also tell the child what is allowed.

The group leaders stimulate the emotional development of children from 1 to 4 years old with play, for example fantasy and role-playing games. At The Clown Club, materials are available for this, such as dolls, a farm, Lego/Duplo, and dress-up clothes. For example, there is a small kitchen in the groups, which allows the children to reenact situations from home with the other children. Also, ‘mommy and baby’ is often played during free play moments. The emotional development of children from 0 to 1 year old is stimulated with toys such as cuddly toys, hand puppets, and, for example, finger games. Here too, the group leaders’ response to the children’s sounds and movements is very important.

In the event of behavioral changes, the group leaders take into account changes in the home situation, for example due to the arrival of a brother/sister, a move, or other circumstances. Young children express many of their feelings through play.

The group leaders can then address these situations in the form of play. Good parent contacts are of great importance here, so that the home situation can be responded to.

5.4 Cognitive development

Language

Young children develop at a rapid pace. Language development is an important part of this. This starts as early as children from 0 to 1 year old. They start by babbling. It is very important to respond to this as a pedagogical professional. In our bilingual childcare center, this importance has an extra emphasis. The Clown Club uses Dutch and English as its main languages. It is important to guide children in developing their language skills in our international setting. For this purpose, The Clown Club has developed a code of conduct describing how the two main languages are used within The Clown Club.

Cognitive development relates to the development of language (language use and language comprehension) and thinking. Understanding and insight are acquired by organizing, remembering, applying, and combining information from the environment with new situations. Language and thinking are closely linked.

Learning two or more languages can be successful for young children. It is important that this happens in the so-called sensitive period of the language acquisition process (between 0 and 10 years). The language development of a multilingual child proceeds largely in the same way as the language development of a monolingual child. The difference lies in designing two systems, one for each language. It is quite normal for multilingual children to initially have fewer words per language. These children have to attach two labels when learning a new word.

For the course of language acquisition in multilingual children, it is important that the child is encouraged to distinguish the languages from each other. At The Clown Club, we do this by linking language use to the consistent offering of one language. In the English-speaking groups, only English is spoken, and in the Dutch-speaking groups, only Dutch. In this way, the use of multiple languages is linked to different rooms, activities, people, and situations. So, for example, the child speaks only Spanish at home and only English or Dutch at The Clown Club.

Research shows that acquiring two or more languages is perfectly doable for a child. However, it is important that there is varied and frequent conversation with the children in both languages. The staff at The Clown Club play an active role in this by talking a lot to the child. As much as possible, every language expression of the child is responded to: from the first sounds the baby makes to the toddler’s questions and stories. To stimulate language development, the group leaders organize various activities, such as singing, language games, and games with sounds and noises in the respective languages.

Thinking

The development of thinking includes, among other things, reasoning and problem-solving. This is a complex process of processing information that can be overwhelming for children. Through play, we try to bring structure to this. Playing and being busy is learning for a child. The child learns, among other things, through example and imitation and through play activities. By discussing daily events, order is created in the child’s world.

The group leaders explain, name things, and invite the children to verbalize things themselves. The development of language has a great influence on thinking; after all, language is a part of cognitive development.

Talking is a form of thinking out loud. Young children still think very concretely, and the communication by the group leaders is adapted accordingly. Extra attention is paid to this during our circle times and play activities.

Thinking is also the ability of children to seek solutions to problems themselves. The group leaders therefore try to let children solve problems themselves as much as possible. Children who have conflicts with each other are first left to solve them themselves. This appeals to the child’s thinking ability and increases creativity in dealing with different situations.

To promote cognitive development (thinking and perception), a wide range of materials is offered within The Clown Club, allowing children to work with colors, shapes, and the seasons.

5.5 Creative development

The group leaders stimulate the creative development of children aged 1 to 4 by offering all kinds of materials (water, sand, paint, clay, dress-up clothes, and face paint) and activities (music, dance, and kids’ yoga). Children aged 0 to 1 are also stimulated by feeling different materials, such as feathers, new sponges, a new dish brush, etc. Great care is taken to ensure that the group leaders play along with the children and that items are not put in their mouths. There is also a variety of music in the baby group. In addition to baby music, classical music or nature sounds are played.

For young children, working with materials is an investigative and challenging activity. They learn about the possibilities and properties of materials, where the result is not yet important. Being creative can happen in many ways, for example, through storytelling and fantasy construction play. It is important that children feel valued in this and are given as much space as possible for their own input.

5.6 Development of personal competence (identity and self-reliance)

Gradually, the child becomes more aware that they are a person who differs from everyone else. For example, the child recognizes themselves in the mirror and starts pointing to things they want. Children also become increasingly aware of the influence they can have on their environment. Their own will becomes stronger during the toddler years. They are also more sensitive to compliments and corrections. It is important that the child is approached positively. Children are encouraged as much as possible to show desired behavior by receiving many compliments throughout the day.

Children don’t just receive compliments when they have done something well, but also when they try something (e.g., with food and play) and put effort into a task or game.

When children receive many compliments and positive remarks about their behavior, it has a positive effect on their self-image. This helps them develop certainty and clarity about which behavior is and isn’t desired. The compliments increase their self-confidence and feelings of competence.

The group leaders value individual differences (such as preference for activities, pace, and spontaneity) between the children. Additionally, the group leaders stimulate identity awareness by, for example, regularly naming the children or giving them their own spot or belongings. The group leaders encourage a child’s individual interests and competencies by providing the desired play materials, all within the boundaries of the group and organization.

One of our principles is to let the child grow into an independent person. Independence and self-reliance are important values in our time and society, and the group leaders encourage this in the child. In principle, whatever the child can try, they are allowed to try themselves.

The group leaders do ensure that the child does not experience too many failures.

The group leaders stimulate and support self-reliance by including tasks and assignments for the children in the daily routine, such as tidying up toys after playing or grabbing a cloth and cleaning the table if you accidentally knock over your cup (groups with children aged 2-4). The assignments are kept clear and concrete for the child. After all, over-demanding children does not contribute to personal growth but rather inhibits it. By stimulating, we mean encouraging, inviting, and guiding the child. Leaving the child to their own devices under the guise of “stimulating independence” is explicitly not an option.

Behavior is largely learned and therefore influenceable. Child factors also play a role, such as temperament. This indicates that certain behavior can be strengthened or weakened and that the environment must respond appropriately to the child. Every child needs focused (tailored) attention. If a child does not receive positive attention, they may ensure they get attention (often negative) through disruptive behavior. The need for attention is then met, just not in the most desirable way. When a child shows behavior that is not appropriate in the group, for example towards the group leaders and/or other children, it is explained to the child why the behavior is not desired. The group leader then indicates which behavior is desired and may serve as an example. The group leader always addresses the child’s behavior and not the child as a person. An important aspect of unlearning unwanted behavior is that the group leader corrects consistently and clearly. Rewarding is done through positive reinforcement and an approach proportional to the achievement/merit.

Correcting and confirming should give the child a realistic picture of their functioning and, by extension, increase their resilience and self-reliance.

5.7 Mentor and noticeable behavior

Every child is assigned a mentor. The mentor is the point of contact for parents to discuss the child’s development and well-being. This pedagogical professional ensures that the observation forms are filled in at fixed times and are accurate, and conducts the 10-minute meeting with the parent once a year. To follow the child’s development, the mentor must truly know the child. Therefore, the mentor is directly involved in the child’s care and development. The mentor is one of the pedagogical professionals of the group the child is placed in. Parents are informed who their child’s mentor is. This happens when the appointments for the intake interview and settling-in moments are made. The mentor arranges this and introduces themselves right away.

If necessary, the mentor also plays a role in contact with other professionals (with parental consent).

The observation forms are a tool/guide for pedagogical professionals to carefully consider all developmental areas of a child who is in full development.

When a child is ahead in their development, when a delay is noticed, or when the child behaves unusually, the group leaders try to get a clearer picture of the behavior through extra observations. The concern is discussed with parents, and together we try to find a solution. It may happen that external help is advised, such as a speech therapist, child health center, or physiotherapist. The follow-up steps ultimately lie with the parents.

Providing extra care is done systematically: goals, guidance activities, and their evaluation are recorded. Parents are actively involved in the plan of approach.

The effect of extra guidance and care is evaluated using the observation forms. This makes it clear whether the goals have been achieved and why or why not. The approach for the coming period is based on these conclusions.

In the case of external care guidance, staff align as much as possible with the care provided externally. If possible, there is contact with the external care provider (for example, cooperation with a physiotherapist).

We often work with an external team, the Center for Youth and Family (CJG) and the School Advisory Service Wassenaar (SAD). If we think they can help us further, we ask parents for permission to discuss their child with this team. It is possible to bring a child in anonymously. We do this in cases where we find external help necessary, but parents do not give permission to discuss their child’s situation with an external team.

Of course, parents can also request information about the Center for Youth and Family and the School Advisory Service Wassenaar from us themselves.

When transitioning from The Clown Club to primary school, we send the child’s observation forms to the relevant primary school (provided permission is given) and to the parents. This is done via a child tracking system that applies to Dutch childcare, playgroups, and primary schools in Wassenaar (Wassenaar transfer). The observation forms are discussed with the parents during a final meeting. The forms must be signed digitally before they are sent to the primary school.

5.8 Protocol for Suspected Child Abuse and Domestic Violence

At The Clown Club, we use a protocol for suspected child abuse and/or domestic violence. This protocol includes the following aspects: the definition of child abuse according to the Youth Care Act, a step-by-step plan for suspicion, responsibilities within The Clown Club, information about signals, and practical information about Youth Care and the Child Abuse Advice and Reporting Point. This protocol can be viewed in every group and by management via the Konnect app, information pages, and policy. Every employee is aware of the content of this protocol, and information is provided periodically on this subject.

6. Social/Cultural awareness

6.1 Conveying values and norms

Conveying values and norms constantly plays a role in the upbringing of children. Values express the meaning people attach to certain behaviors, things, or events. They are ideas or beliefs that indicate how important people find something. Values are unmistakably culture-bound; they change over time and vary from society to society. Norms translate values into rules and regulations on how adults and children should behave.

6.2 Exchanging values and norms

A child is shaped by interaction with adults and other children. Interaction between adults and children in childcare has a different dimension than at home. The group leaders are primarily professionally involved with the children. They maintain contact with all children in the group. Additionally, there is the interaction of the staff member with the group as a whole. At both levels, there is a constant exchange of values and norms in communication and interaction.

In a group setting, the exchange is a continuous process. Among the children, what is and isn’t appropriate is constantly at play. Daily, the applicable rules in the group are repeated verbally and non-verbally, and children are given as much explanation as possible as to why things happen in a certain way, adapted to their developmental level. Through language, a (partially) conscious exchange of values and norms takes place. Additionally, non-verbal exchange and transmission play a major role in communication. This is handled as carefully as possible. The group leaders also serve as examples for the children in the transmission of values and norms.

6.3 Dealing with prejudices

The pedagogical professional in the group is aware of existing prejudices in themselves and others regarding religion, ethnicity, social class, gender, and sexual orientation. They realize they have been influenced by the environment in which they grew up.

On all these subjects, certain assumptions have arisen to a greater or lesser extent that are debatable. The staff member tries to be critical of these opinions and the resulting behavior, and to remain aware of their own prejudices. We actively try to prevent prejudices from forming in children, precisely because children naturally approach new things with an open mind.

The group leader always tries to respond to the children as soon as she notices prejudices emerging in play or conversation. She is also active in offering role-breaking toys, reading stories, and singing songs that clearly show the children that there are choices outside the ‘standard’ paths. The group leader is alert to not expressing negative opinions about certain groups in our society in any way. However, she is active in talking about different groups, with the intention that children know more and are therefore less likely to find something different or less valuable.

6.4 Differences

At The Clown Club, children from all families are welcome. Special events linked to a certain belief system are given appropriate attention in the group. As far as possible, the meaning of that special event within the relevant belief system is explained to the children. Differences in social background are sometimes expressed in clothing and language use. At The Clown Club, every child is surrounded with equal care. Both ‘boys’ and ‘girls’ toys are available. The child’s freedom of choice and individuality are central when choosing one toy or another.

Our starting point is that children don’t have to become someone, but already are someone. They deserve a respectful approach and are taken seriously.

A respectful attitude from the group leaders stimulates children’s self-confidence and self-esteem and teaches children to have respect for others and their environment.

6.5 Problems and conflicts

Children are encouraged to solve their own social problems. When children do not succeed or when the same child always emerges as the ‘winner’ or ‘loser’, the group leader offers help. In this case, children are given the opportunity to express their needs and wishes with a better chance of success. They also learn to take each other into account by demonstrating how to reach an agreement through consultation. Children can learn at an early age to stand up for themselves while also considering others.

6.6 Celebrations and rituals

A number of events such as birthdays, goodbyes, and holidays like Sinterklaas and Halloween follow a fixed ritual at The Clown Club. By handling these in a certain way, children learn what it means to have a birthday, for example. Children can derive both security and pleasure from fixed habits. Maintaining a fixed daily schedule can also be considered a ritual.

The children and staff of The Clown Club come from many different cultures and have various nationalities and religions. Once a year, we pay explicit attention to this on ‘International Day’.

It is an informal event where parents can show something from their own country, such as traditional clothing, food, or information.

Parents can also meet other parents, have a nice chat with the staff, and see what the children have made in the groups.

6.7 Outings outside The Clown Club

For some themes, it is very fun to take a trip outside The Clown Club, such as to the library or petting zoo. Parents are informed of this well in advance. Parents must also give written permission for their son or daughter to participate.

If necessary, we ask if there are parents who want to come along as extra supervision. If there is not enough supervision, the outing unfortunately cannot take place.

Only the toddler groups English 2, Dutch 2, and Dutch 3 occasionally go on an outing. The other groups do not do this yet.

6.8 Dealing with grief

The death of a person in the immediate environment is very impactful, even for young children. It is very important that the group leaders are informed so they can respond as well as possible. Providing comfort, hugs, and warmth are essential ways to help children process their grief and sadness. It is important to give honest information that matches the child’s developmental stage. It is also important not to stay silent about it. All of this is done in consultation with the parents.

7. Safety, health, and care of the children

For everything in this area, the ‘GGD-Wijzer 0-4 years’ folder from the GGD is followed, but we especially look at our risk assessments for Safety and Health. These are constantly updated so that necessary and desired actions are taken.

Both the risk assessment for Safety and for Health are public and can be requested for inspection at any time from The Clown Club management.

All employees must be aware of the content. In any case, the assessment is evaluated annually by the entire team, and more often if necessary.

7.1 Childcare Act

The Childcare Act stipulates that childcare must contribute to a child’s healthy development in a safe and healthy environment. This law requires The Clown Club to comply with regulations regarding parents, staff, safety and health, accommodation and furnishing, group size and professional-child ratio, pedagogical policy, practice, and complaints. The Clown Club has been committed to monitoring the best possible safe and healthy environment for years. The Clown Club is also inspected by the independent testing body, the GGD Zuid-Holland West.

7.2 Role of the GGD

Our vision on caring for a safe and healthy environment is always tested by a GGD inspector who carries out inspections with some regularity, at least once a year. The supervisor (GGD inspector) checks the safety and health of the childcare based on the points from the daycare testing framework. The GGD inspection report can be viewed via our website.

This report is registered in the National Childcare Register. A copy of the report can also be found at the office.

7.3 Safety management

Children develop quickly, are curious, and want to discover the world around them. In doing so, they see no danger. The older children get, the better they learn what is and isn’t allowed and what is and isn’t dangerous. Group leaders can practice safe behavior with children. Lots of repetition is necessary. Still, children will not always stick to agreements and rules.

Because it is impossible for staff to watch all children every minute of the day, a safe environment is of great importance. There is a tension here between safety and pedagogical aspects. This tension must result in a good mix between providing safety and offering enough challenge and learning moments. Not all safety risks need to be covered, but risks must be reduced to an acceptable minimum and the chance of serious injury must be prevented.

In an environment where children play, not everything is always used for its intended purpose. This is an important reason why we must ensure safe products. However, no matter how safe the product is, if it is not handled correctly, an unsafe situation can still arise. Especially in an environment where children experiment and discover, safety has a very dynamic character.

The behavior of children in relation to the environment is therefore central to the safety risk assessment.

The Risk Assessment and Evaluation and the Safety protocol include many situations, rules, agreements, and scenarios that can hardly be summarized here. You are therefore referred to the full Risk Assessment and Evaluation and the Safety protocol, which are available for inspection at the office and in the groups. The protocol can also be downloaded from The Clown Club website.

Four-eyes principle

In addition to providing physical safety, The Clown Club pays attention to many aspects of the children’s emotional safety; see also section 5.2.2.

All pedagogical professionals are qualified and possess the qualities and characteristics required for working with children. In their approach to the children, the staff are respectful, loving, and competent. Additionally, emotional safety is also provided by social control over each other. This means that someone can always watch and/or listen in. At The Clown Club, this is expressed in the following ways:

• Windows in and between rooms, so that people can look inside.
• An open culture, in which adults (staff, management, and parents) can enter a room at any time.
• Baby monitors are on in the sleeping quarters throughout the day, even if the children are not sleeping in the bedrooms at that moment.

7.4 Health management

Opinions on health aspects can vary. But one thing is generally agreed upon: the younger children are, the more vulnerable they are.

There are numerous factors that influence health. Direct links are usually difficult to prove. Caring for children in an environment where good health is guaranteed as much as possible goes further than preventing childhood diseases. Even if there are no sick children in a daycare center, this does not automatically mean that children are not exposed to risks here.

Even apparently healthy children can be exposed to risks that undermine good health. This includes, for example, unhealthy indoor air, combustion gases, and floating micro-dust particles; substances that can cause respiratory diseases in the long term.

When creating the Health risk assessment, it was decided to work out four categories of health risks that can more or less directly affect the health of the children during their stay at the daycare center. These concern health risks through the transmission of germs, health risks as a result of the indoor and outdoor environment, and finally health risks as a result of (the absence of) medical action.

Responsible health policy can be characterized as follows: creating a situation in which those involved recognize health risks and actions are aimed at preventing illness. The behavior of children, parents, and staff is therefore central to the Health risk assessment and the Health protocol. These are available for inspection at the office and in the groups. The protocol is also available on our website.

7.5 Food safety

For more information about meals, their storage, and preparation, we request all our staff to review the Food Safety protocol. This can be found in the Konnect app > information pages > Protocols/staff policy.

7.6 Furnishing

An important criterion when furnishing the group room is visibility. Visibility across the room is important for both the group leaders and the young child. The group leaders must be able to maintain the best possible overview of all children. For the youngest children, it is important to have eye contact with the leaders while they are playing. Toddlers already have more of a need to play together in a ‘closed-off’ corner occasionally.

The furnishing takes this need of the children into account, while at the same time ensuring both physical and emotional safety. The room is attractive to children, partly through the use of color and materials, and invites play.

8.1 Cooperation with parents

At The Clown Club, part of the upbringing and care of the children is taken over from the parents. This makes it necessary to exchange data about the child’s development, which increases mutual insights. To offer children the best possible care, good cooperation with parents is of great importance.

To this end, two preconditions must be met:

1. Mutual trust: understanding each other’s responsibility, possibilities, and limitations.
2. Mutual respect: respect from the pedagogical staff for the parents who have final responsibility for their child, and respect from parents for the professional responsibility of the group leaders for their child.

Additionally, the cooperation between parents and the group leaders takes shape through:

The settling-in period:

To ensure the child’s first period in daycare goes as smoothly as possible, clear agreements are made with the parents. These agreements relate to, among other things, the upbringing, care, rhythm, and habits of the child. Agreements are also made about saying goodbye. During the settling-in period, attention is paid to mutual expectations and parents are asked about specific wishes.

Swapping and extra days:

There is a possibility for parents to swap days. If the parent cancels the child on the day itself before 9:00 AM, they will receive credit for this. This credit is valid for six months and can be used for an extra day of care, provided there is availability in the group. An extra day can also be invoiced. The parent should arrange this via the Konnect app.

Exchanging parenting ideas:

Exchanging parenting ideas makes it possible to follow one line in the approach to the child. Sometimes a certain approach can be successful at home and the daycare can adopt it. The reverse can also apply. Differences in upbringing and approach at home and in childcare are also open for discussion.

The child is in two different situations, so it is important that as many common ground as possible is created between home and childcare.

Parenting questions from parents:

The Clown Club can support parents with upbringing. This happens in individual contacts between parents and the group leaders. The group leaders see the children all day and have insight into their development. If there are problems with a child, we look at what is best for the child in consultation with the parents.

8.2 Involvement

Parents are involved as much as possible in matters concerning the care. Contacts take place between the pedagogical professional and the individual parents.

The alignment relates to their own child. The starting point is that parents’ wishes are taken into account as much as possible. If the group leader feels that the parent’s wish does not match the child’s interest and/or the care, this is explained and we try to create understanding for this with the parents.

Contacts also take place between individual parents and The Clown Club as an organization.

The Clown Club ensures that parents receive information about important matters, such as illnesses within the daycare center. Parents can give advice on matters that directly affect the children or the parents themselves.

The Clown Club also has a Parent Committee that acts as a representative of the parents’ interests. The Clown Club values quality improvement in its services. For this, it is important that parents can express their wishes and ideas to management. This can be done by contacting management directly, but also via the parent committee. The parent committee was also set up for this purpose.

8.3 Settling in and saying goodbye

In the first settling-in period, parents and child slowly but surely get used to spending the day apart. Settling in means the child gains enough confidence to function in the group. In the first weeks, the focus for the child, parents, and group leaders is on getting to know and trust each other. We expect our staff to take the initiative in building a relationship of trust with children and parents. When the child can be in the group without too much fear or sadness, it doesn’t mean the child is completely settled. A child often needs six weeks to lay the foundation for the attachment relationship with the group leaders. Our staff should be mindful of this, even with children who apparently settle quickly and easily. The course of the settling-in period depends on a large number of factors.

The professionalism of our staff in guiding the settling-in process is an important factor.

They must have knowledge of and respond adequately to:

• the child’s developmental stage
• the child’s nature and temperament
• the child’s basic trust in primary attachment figures
• the degree of similarity between the situation at home and at The Clown Club

Indications that a child is settled can be the following behaviors:

• the child is visibly at ease: they allow themselves to be comforted and helped, and seek contact
• there is non-verbal and/or verbal communication between group leaders and the child
• the child starts playing and eating
• the child moves freely through the space
• the child has found a certain rhythm in the group
• there are no major differences in behavior at home and at The Clown Club

The pedagogical professionals of The Clown Club contact the parents two weeks before the actual placement. An appointment is made for an intake interview and to come for two half-day settling-in sessions in the last week before placement. The goal is to start the settling-in process in a week when the parent is still directly available and a full day of care is not yet a necessity.

In the interest of clarity and predictability for the child, the parent stays for a maximum of fifteen minutes and a clear goodbye is said under the guidance of the group leader.

The group leader pays extra attention to the child throughout the settling-in period, and to the parents during drop-off and pick-up.

A similar procedure is followed for the transition to a new group. In the week before the move, the child goes to the new group twice for a half-day. Before the child starts settling in, the familiar pedagogical professional goes to the new group with the child for about fifteen minutes to ‘take a look’.

Where possible, two or three children move to a next group at the same time, so that they have each other’s support in addition to the support of the group leaders.

Saying goodbye serves the function of closing a period. This is important for the child who is leaving as well as for the staff and other children. Rituals such as wearing a goodbye hat, a scrapbook, etc., help with this.

8.4 Privacy

Individual parents have the right to privacy protection through careful handling of all information given in confidence. If consultation with third parties regarding the child seems necessary, we will first contact the parents. By third parties, we mean persons not associated with The Clown Club, e.g., school, aid agencies, etc. No confidential information about children and/or parents is given by pedagogical professionals to other children, parents, or colleagues.

The Clown Club regularly takes photos of the children. In the Konnect parent app, parents are asked for permission to use these photos. Parents give separate permission for the use of photos within the Konnect parent portal and for the use of photos on ‘social media’.