Introduction/specifics

Welcome to the "Glückskäfer" crèche. We are a four-group, family-based facility with space for 12 children per group. We look after children aged from ten months to three years.

Our facility profile is:

"All bugs big and small want to be on the move!"

In our "Glückskäfer" crèche, the development of movement plays an important role with regard to the Bavarian education and upbringing plan. The children are given the opportunity to move in a variety of ways every day. For this purpose, various possibilities are used inside and outside the facility, such as the movement room, the large corridor, the garden and the group rooms. With the help of a wide variety of movement materials and movement environments, the children can move and let off steam every day according to their needs. Movement development is integrated into the daily group activities. The main aim of our work is to convey the joy of movement to the children.

Rooms

Group rooms:

The group room's open/variable concept allows for a wide range of activities. The children are actively involved in the design of the rooms. Depending on the children's needs, flexible furniture such as room dividers allow the rooms to be arranged accordingly. The existing furniture is carefully selected and tailored to the children. There are opportunities for retreat through areas that can be seen, as well as space for small and whole group activities.

Each group has its own group room with adjoining bedroom and sanitary facilities.

Entrance/hallway:

The entrance and corridor area is not only used to welcome and say goodbye to the children, but can also be used as a varied play area. By using the walls as an "exhibition of children's work" and a "notice board", this area is also made available to parents. 

Movement room:

Our movement room is available for the children to use freely. It offers space to creatively live out the joy of movement. Movement-stimulating materials are available and accessible.  We use the room according to our motto: "All beetles big and small want to be on the move".

Sanitary facilities:

The sanitary rooms are designed according to the children's needs, e.g. a changing table with hidden stairs or toilets. The relevant hygiene standards are observed. The children can use these independently.

Outdoor Facilities

The outdoor area can be reached through the checkroom. There, the children will find a nest swing, a sandpit and a small climbing tower with a slide. In the upper part of the garden, the children can let off steam and try out different vehicles. The raised beds invite children to plant their own plants. There are also painting boards with various motifs on the garden fence.

Daily Schedule

A regulated daily routine gives the child stability and security and thus creates a trusting environment. The daily routine includes transitions that are adapted to the individual needs of the children.

Daily routine in the crèche groups:

Core time from 08:30 to 14:00

07:00 to 08:30 Arrival of the children, playing together; free play

08:30 am to 09:30 am Morning circle, followed by breakfast together 

09:30 to 11:00 Free play time; nappy changing; time for educational activities; walks; gymnastics; time in the garden

11:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Lunch

12:00 to 14:00 Lunchtime nap / rest time

2:15 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Pick-up time

2:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. snack time

from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Free play; educational activities; time in the garden

or 16:00 

We would now like to explain a few terms to you:

Our core time:

During our core time, all children should be present and thus participate in our life together at the facility. We want to work intensively with the children during this time. Dropping off and picking up the children during core time is only possible in exceptional cases and by prior arrangement.

Our morning circle:

Every day we sit down with the children for our morning circle. We greet each other with a song, count the children, play circle games and sing together. In the morning circle, we also discuss the weather and the day with the children. Each group has its own individual rituals. In addition, upcoming events, daily activities and current topics such as the theme for the year are addressed and discussed with the children. The children experience the morning circle in a very participatory way and are allowed to have a say in many things. Various picture cards, e.g. from the songs, are used to support them.

Organization of mealtimes:

Breakfast, snack and hot lunch are an integral part of our daily educational routine. In order to give the children a sense of togetherness, we have decided to have breakfast and snack together. Lunch is also eaten together. We make sure that the children have a varied diet at breakfast, snack and lunch. The children are given water or unsweetened tea to drink. 

Free play:

Free play is very important to us because it helps the child to deal with what is currently occupying, stressing or interesting them. The group room design is specially geared to the needs of the children and the range of activities on offer is much greater than at home.

Free play offers children the opportunity to find themselves and interact with others, to develop self-confidence and to practise ways of making contact and dealing with conflicts. We support the children in this with a variety of orientation aids. Children gain necessary social experience through play.

Free play also offers teachers the opportunity to encourage and observe individual children (unnoticed). 

Food

Food and drinks:

In our facility, water and/or unsweetened tea are freely available to the children throughout the day.

Breakfast is provided by the crèche. We regularly order from Rewe and have the food delivered. The breakfast varies. On Mondays there is muesli with milk or yoghurt, Tuesday to Thursday freshly filled sandwiches with cheese/sausage/spreads and on Fridays there are pretzels or pretzel sticks. A fresh fruit and vegetable platter with seasonal produce is also available to the children every day. 

We buy lunch from the Fäßler company every day. At lunch, the children receive a varied and child-friendly meal. This is supplemented by freshly prepared salads or desserts such as yoghurt or fruit.

In the afternoon, the children are given a small snack. We also call this snack time. Here the children are also offered fruit and vegetables. There is also a selection of crispbread, rice or corn waffles and much more.

Basics

Basic pedagogical attitudes - "our image of the child"

Human beings are designed for self-determination and self-activity. A child comes into the world as a "competent infant" and is equipped from the outset with skills that enable it to explore its environment and interact with it. Children actively shape their attachment and development from birth. Even very young children are active co-creators of their understanding rather than passive participants in environmental events and can express their needs. We accept children as unique personalities who contribute their individual needs and abilities to the community. Children learn not only with their heads, but also through movement, feelings and imagination - they learn with all their senses. They have lots of intelligent questions and are full of ideas and inspiration. They want to continuously expand their understanding of the world in dialog with others. We offer them guidance and work with them to find answers and solutions to questions of meaning. Children have the right to the best possible education right from the start in order to fully develop their mental and physical abilities. To this end, we create a sense of security and safety through reliable and consistent caregivers and constantly offer new stimuli and challenges. As actors in their own education, children have the right to have a say and to participate in shaping it.

Pedagogical approach/pedagogical orientation:

Basic skills are fundamental skills and personality characteristics that enable children to interact with other children and adults and to deal with the conditions in their physical environment. We want to support the children in their development into independent, responsible and socially competent personalities. In close cooperation with the parents, we want to teach the basic skills necessary for this. These include, for example: a positive self-concept, self-esteem, experience of autonomy, gross motor skills, fine motor skills, imagination and creativity, problem-solving skills, taking responsibility, cooperation skills, conflict management and much more.

Employee

Our multi-professional team currently consists of: 5 nursery nurses; 5 childcare assistants and two annual interns who are training to become nursery nurses. The staff work full-time and part-time.

In each of our groups, there is one educator as group leader and one childcare worker. We are also regularly supported by AWE staff.

Almost all of our employees have an additional qualification as a nursery teacher. In addition, the employees have the following qualifications: fire safety officer, hygiene officer, safety officer. They receive regular training.

The employees are also regularly trained and instructed in the areas of first aid for children, child protection, data protection and much more. 

Our team is also supported daily by a kitchen assistant and once a week by a janitor.

Quality Assurance

Reflection on our educational work:

Team meetings to evaluate and reflect on the educational work take place at regular intervals in the team or in the group. They serve to set educational priorities for certain periods and to reflect on the entire educational work. In addition, parties and parents' evenings are planned, case discussions are held and internal procedures and appointments are discussed. 

Cooperation within the facility:

In order to pursue common goals within the facility, it is essential that all employees of the facility work closely together. The management is responsible for coordinating the processes in the facility, but each employee takes responsibility for a specific area according to their skills. Learning partnerships are also formed to introduce new ideas to the team.

Survey of parents and staff:

An annual parent survey is one of the most important quality assurance measures. Parents have the opportunity to comment anonymously on our work in the crèche. Be it in pedagogical or organizational terms or simply for personal reasons. Many suggestions have already been implemented here and the evaluation and publication of the results is always an opportunity to make the work in the facility more transparent.  An employee survey also takes place at regular intervals.
 

Review and annual updating of the concept:

Our concept is reviewed every year to ensure that it is up to date. Legal and personnel changes require regular updating and updating. The concept is revised at the beginning of each educational year. Should changes become necessary in the current year, we will inform parents promptly.

Further training, peer counseling, supervision:

Every educational employee is entitled to five days of further training per year. Further training for educational staff primarily serves to expand the broad range of educational work. Further training offers the opportunity to take a closer look at various aspects of educational work and to introduce new ideas into the day-to-day running of the daycare center. The employees pass on the content of the training courses to the team in the form of team meetings.  There is also the opportunity for exchange and collegial advice, including supervision.

Employee appraisal:

Annual employee appraisals are a standard part of our quality management system. Every employee has the opportunity to talk about and reflect on their own tasks, skills and plans in their work in a discussion with their direct line manager.  These discussions are held with every full-time employee once a year.  

Cooperations

Cooperation with daycare centers:

At regular intervals, all facility managers of the Johanniter facilities meet with the head of the department for management meetings and area-specific meetings (crèche, kindergarten, after-school care). Important organizational information and changes to the legal basis are passed on and there is an exchange about the educational work in the facilities. There is also good cooperation and networking with other children's facilities in the immediate vicinity.

Educational counseling centers:

On request, we can provide parents with the contact details of our neighboring educational counseling centers. There they have the opportunity to obtain information and advice on questions regarding their child's upbringing and development.

Early intervention centers:

We work together with speech therapists, doctors, health authorities, occupational therapists and educational counseling centers. The mobile special educational service also supports us in our efforts to support children with developmental delays.

Specialists in the context of inclusion (district):

The educational specialists work closely with prevention-oriented specialist services. For children with an increased developmental risk and (impending) disability, the specialist service offers its services in the children's facility. The specialist service advises on early identification, additional support measures and further development and provides guidance.

Specialist academies for social pedagogy:

We can employ trainee educators at our facility. In order to make the cooperation between us, the practical training center, and the academy as effective as possible, we are invited to the instructors' meeting and informed about the content and objectives of the training. The implementation of the practical training plan and its evaluation take place in the institution. We also maintain written, telephone and personal contact with the respective teacher.

Youth Welfare Office:

There is close cooperation between the relevant youth welfare offices and the Johanniter children's facilities. The youth welfare office of the respective municipality or city acts as the supervisory authority for the daycare centers. Meetings and training courses are held at regular intervals by the youth welfare office. The Youth Welfare Office informs us about changes made by the Ministry and supports parents in their search for a suitable place. It also offers financial support in individual cases, e.g. covering childcare and catering costs or other financial expenses. We will also be happy to put you in touch with suitable agencies if you have any questions about your child's upbringing and education.

Teamwork with parents

Registration and admission interview:

Parents can register their children at any time. Parents introduce themselves and their child to our facility and register in writing or via the "Little Bird" portal. Registration during the current educational year is possible, e.g. if a child leaves the facility during the year due to relocation. Children who cannot be admitted due to a lack of places will be placed on the waiting list if the parents so wish. If a place becomes available during the current educational year, it is possible to move up. Admission to our facility is subject to the availability of places. 

The prerequisite for admission to our facility is a written declaration of consent to the childcare contract between the provider and the legal guardian. Once the place has been confirmed, a contract meeting will take place with the facility management. Furthermore, an introductory meeting with the respective group takes place a few weeks before the start of acclimatization. A parents' information evening is then held in the summer.
 

Door-to-door talks:

During drop-off and pick-up times, brief information can be exchanged and questions answered.

Development discussions:

In our facility, there are regular parent-teacher conferences regarding the development of the child. These take place as follows:

• After the settling-in phase as part of the introductory meeting
• A development meeting twice a year; on the child's half and full birthday
• Final meeting at the end of the crèche period to prepare for the transition to kindergarten
• Several meetings with parents are held as required

Parents' evenings:

Regular parents' evenings are used for information, professional exchange, getting to know each other and introducing the educational focus of a facility. 

Parent survey:

An annual parent survey is one of the most important quality assurance measures. Parents have the opportunity to comment on our work in the crèche, even anonymously. Be it in pedagogical or organizational terms or simply out of personal consideration. Many suggestions have already been implemented here and the evaluation and publication of the results is always an opportunity to make the work in the facility more transparent.

Letters to parents and notices:

You will receive a parents' letter or parents' post at irregular intervals. These contain important information for you about festivals, events, parents' evenings, vacation regulations, educational priorities and news from our everyday life. The "notice board" is located in the entrance area of our facility and in front of the respective group rooms. There you will find notices with:

• current information e.g. daily structure, daily review
• event announcements
• Information from the parents' council to the parents.
•  Of course you will also receive important information by email.

Parents' Council:

• At the beginning of each educational year, a parents' council is elected at the first joint parents' evening by the end of October at the latest.
• The parents' council is informed by the provider and the management and is involved before important decisions are made. It should also be seen as a link between the institution and the parents.
• The Parents' Council has an advisory function, it advises in particular on spatial and material equipment, annual planning (festivals, parents' evenings, activities).
• The Parents' Council is the point of contact for all other parents/guardians. Parents' council meetings are held at regular intervals. The meetings are usually open to the public.

Work shadowing:

We offer several opportunities for interested parents to actively participate in our facility. We are happy for all parents to visit us at our facility on agreed dates. This gives them an insight into our work.

Colleagues from other Johanniter daycare centers also have the opportunity to visit us and observe us on a daily basis. This ensures a lively exchange between colleagues. Collegial consultation is therefore always guaranteed.

Specifics

Profile of the Johanniter day nursery "Glückskäfer":

"All beetles big and small want to be on the move"

In our crèche, the development of movement plays an important role with regard to the Bavarian education and upbringing plan. The children are given the opportunity to move in a variety of ways every day. To this end, various opportunities are used inside and outside the facility, such as the gym, the large exercise corridor, the garden and the group rooms. Movement development is built into the daily group activities and is primarily intended to convey the joy of movement to the children. By increasing movement safety, the child's self-esteem is strengthened.

Children need opportunities to live out their joy of movement. Movement education strengthens the overall development of the child; this is further pursued in the facility by promoting basic skills, in particular emotional stability, self-efficacy, creativity, cognitive skills, self-directed learning, a sense of responsibility and the ability to cooperate.

Especially in the great outdoors, as well as through dance and sport, children can live out their urge to move unhindered. The basic needs of all children include walking, running, skipping, jumping, climbing, swinging, dancing, balancing, etc.

The child learns to crawl, sit and walk at crèche age and continues to develop these skills over time. The mere presence of adults gives children the confidence to try these activities themselves again and again and to try them out for themselves.

The aims of movement education and promotion at the facility are as follows:

• The child is supported in his or her joy of movement and gains increasing confidence in body control. 
• They learn to recognize and respect their own limits and those of others.
• Be able to assess and consciously use their own strength.
• The ability to perceive and the sense of balance, as well as all motor skills (gross and fine motor skills) and coordination skills are strengthened, promoted and developed.
• A positive self-concept of the child is strengthened through movement experiences.
• Social relationships, especially the ability to work in a team, are strengthened.
• The child experiences a physical balance through movement and the child's health/stamina is positively influenced.

 To this end, the following targeted offers and activities are provided:

• In line with our profile, each group has a gymnastics day once a week. Here the children can do gymnastics freely and have the opportunity to try out themselves and their physical skills. Specific gymnastics lessons are also offered to achieve certain educational goals.
• Cross-group exercise program in the afternoon.
• Movement in the corridor 
• Exercise in the garden. 
• Daily exercise in the fresh air
• and much more.

Projects

A variety of different projects, excursions and activities take place in our crèche. Please visit our homepage, where you will find all the current dates:

www.johanniter.de/johanniter-unfall-hilfe/einrichtung/kinderkrippe-glueckskaefer-563/

Each educational year, we decide on two quality goals as a team during our planning days. These vary every year. The educational staff work together to develop various educational goals that we want to focus on and support the children in. These extend over the entire educational year. Various activities and projects are developed for this purpose.

Parental Interviews

An annual parent survey is one of the most important quality assurance measures. Parents/guardians have the opportunity to comment on our work in our crèche, even anonymously. Be it in pedagogical or organizational terms or simply for personal reasons. Many suggestions have already been implemented here and the evaluation and publication of the results is always an opportunity to make the work in the facility more transparent.

Overview

Registration and admission procedure:

Parents can register their children at any time. Registration takes place via the Little Bird online portal of the city of Fürth. Unfortunately, telephone registrations are not possible. Registrations during an ongoing educational year are of course possible (change of residence etc.). Children who cannot be accepted due to a lack of places will be placed on a waiting list if the parents so wish. If a place becomes available during the current educational year, it is possible to move up. Admission to our facility is based on the number of places available.  If there are not enough free places available, the following criteria will be used to make a selection, whereby the order of the list makes no statement about the urgency.

• Place of residence within the municipality
• Start of care
• Age of the child
• Sibling in the facility
• Single parents with a job
• Single parents without a job
• Social hardship
• Both parents work

Description and Stations

Our facility is located in Fürth's Südstadt district, close to Fürth's main railway station. You can easily reach us by public transport, on foot or by car.