EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - Play-and-learn method for children

Play-and-learn method for children - Eindhoven, The Netherlands

Introduction

Primary schools are being turned into Spil centres combining consultation centres, childcare, playgroups and teaching. the name Spil stands for Spelen, Integreren en Leren (play, integrate, learn).

Problem

The central premise is to create the best possible development opportunities for all 0-12-year-olds.

How do you achieve smooth progress in children's development coupled with insight into the problems of work-life balance and offering full-day packages?

Description

On 4 February 2002 Eindhoven city council approved the plan to create Spil centres in the city within ten to fifteen years. Spil centres are development centres at the district level offering education, play, day care, development stimulation, support for parental upbringing and a system of early warning and development monitoring. At Spil centres, several different amenities collaborate on a permanent, substantive and organizational basis. The creation of Spil centres calls for frameworks in the areas of housing, finance, administration and management.

Approach

For each district the Spil centres are given different profiles depending on the particular group of children and parents for whom they are intended.
For each Spil centre a precise survey is conducted to determine what package is needed for the area or target group in question. Key to this is demand from users.
Parents remain those with prime responsibility for the upbringing of their children.
The Spil concept allows a continuous infrastructure of pre-school care, education, play, lunchtime care and cultural, educational amd sporting activities out of school hours.
The basis for the Spil centres is the system of primary education, playgroups and childcare.
This basis can be augmented with other functions to create Spil-wide units.
Each Spil centre will as far as possible be a physical entity at the neighbourhood level.
All parties collaborating in a Spil centre will be brought under the control of a single direction team and will work together on the basis of an educational framework plan.

Results

Eindhoven's education priority policy enjoys a national reputation for robustness and is characterized by careful planning and an established structure of collaboration between schools and welfare institutions. The Spil concept lays the foundations for a definitive professionalization of work with toddlers.

Contact info

Spil Centre Project Office
A.J.M. van Gerwen, tel. +31 42 382778

Project start date

02/02/2006

Links

Spil Centre Project (Dutch)

Document type

case

Themes

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration > Quality of life

Keywords

Skills improvement, Social services