Wellbeing in early childhood education

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HealthDay careFamilies with children

Early childhood education's welfare work entails ensuring children's overall welfare, and exe-cuting this work is the responsibility of the whole personnel.

Kaksi lasta hymyilevät.

Education partnering with the guardians is an important part of the welfare work. Activities that focus on the child's strengths and interests support the child's wellbeing. Evaluation of children's strengths and abilities promotes positive development.

In Vantaa, the children are given an extensive health examination at the age of four, during which the parents, the early childhood education, and the counseling bureau work together in accordance with the Hyve model.

Vantaa's early childhood education is also part of HYVIS – Vantaa's 2013-2016 welfare plan for children and the young.

The Hyve Model – Cooperation Between Early Childhood Education and Counseling Bureau

Four-year-old children are part of nationwide health examination, which in Vantaa is done in accordance with the the Hyve model. The model is based on the idea that the family and the early childhood education provider have discussions which are utilized (with the parents' per-mission) at the counseling bureau, when the child is having the health examination. After the health examination, the information on the child, supplemented by the counseling bureau, is returned to the early childhood education provider.

When a child becomes four years old, parents and the day care personnel have a discussion about the child's early childhood education, in accordance with the Hyve model. The discussion includes the child's wellbeing, development, skills, and need for support. Based on the discussion, a form is filled and delivered to the counseling bureau before the four-year examination. At the counseling bureau, the Public-Health Nurse reads the form and writes down her/his own comments after the four-year examination. The Public-Health Nurse delivers the form back to the day care.

The objective of the Hyve model is to increase the wellbeing of families and reinforce coopera-tion between the parents, the day care, and the counseling bureau. It also helps to recognize the possible need for support.

Medication of children attending early childhood education and care or pre-primary education

All medication should mainly be administered to the child at home. If a child has an acute illness, he or she should always be treated at home, and any medication is the guardians’ responsibility. If possible, the doctor should prescribe long-acting medication for an ill child that can be given to them before or after the day at day care.

The most common infectious diseases in children

Keywords

Daycare centerWell-being