Chair Childcare

Context

In Flanders, the ratio of children per childcare worker is one of the highest in Europe. This high number of supervised children per supervisor has been a topic of discussion within the childcare sector for years, as has the use of pedagogical coaches. To better understand the effects of this on both the pedagogical quality and well-being of both children and childcare workers, Ghent University is launching the Chair Childcare. This chair stems from a collaboration between several academic, public and private partners, with the aim of contributing to improved quality in the childcare sector.

Objectives

Over the next four years, fundamental research will be conducted on the relationship between structural quality characteristics, such as the number of children per supervisor and the use of pedagogical coaching, and process aspects of quality in child care. Specific attention is paid to the pedagogical and social function of child care.
The research of the chair is embedded in the actual practice of child care. In this way, together with the sector, we can formulate practical and policy recommendations to further strengthen the pedagogical quality of childcare, with attention to all actors involved. An advisory and valorization council will be established.

Donors

The chair is a unique partnership between several public and private organizations joining forces to improve the quality of child care. The partners are:

These partners play a crucial role in funding and supporting research, and see this initiative as an important step in bringing knowledge and practice closer together.

Supervisor

The supervisor and spokesperson for the Chair Child Care is Professor Jochen Devlieghere of Ghent University. He will manage the research team and take the lead in formulating scientific insights and practical recommendations. Jochen Devlieghere is Professor of Family Pedagogy and is research-minded primarily in childcare, preschool, parental leave and parenting. Central to his work is visualizing the lifeworld of children and parents.

The research team of the Chair consists of a postdoctoral researcher, Dr. Melissa Dierckx and a doctoral grantee, Shana Van De Wiele.

Contact

If you would like more information about the chair and the research, or if you would like to be involved in the advisory and valorization board, please contact
Professor Jochen Devlieghere
Ghent University
E-mail: Jochen.Devlieghere@UGent.be
Telephone: +32 494 20 95 68