EDUCAS

How do you create Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) environments that support children’s development in a holistic way, taking into account the diverse needs of children and families, with special attention to the ones at risk of social exclusion? The aim of the EDUCAS project is to do just that – create child and family friendly learning spaces in ECEC centers.

Who is involved?

VBJK (ISSA Member) of Belgium is coordinator of this international project. Two research centers also join the project, University of Parma in Italy and Center for Innovative Education (ISSA Member) in Lithuania. ISSA contributes to the project with its vast network for dissemination activities and two ECEC centers in each country (Belgium, Italy, Lithuania) work alongside researchers to re-think ECEC spaces within an educare approach. 

What is the aim?

The project’s overall goal is to create ECEC environments that support children’s development in a holistic way, taking into account the diverse needs of children and families, with special attention to the ones at risk of social exclusion.

How does EDUCAS do this?

After a thorough examination of existing visions and methods related to organizing ECEC environments, this three-year project will create locally developed Continuous Professional Development paths that are tailored to the contexts in which the six ECEC centers are working. The project aims to improve the organization of these ECEC centers’ space and materials within the educare approach.

The methods used, as well as the experiences identified during this project will be used to develop a Training Kit (see below) and Recommendations for policy and practice that are relevant for both the local and EU levels.


EDUCAS project - Closing event
Wonder and beauty: educare in ECEC spaces

In an interactive format and small groups discussions, the two-hours online session held on 22 June 2021 presented EDUCAS project outcomes, and in particular how project partners succeeded in creating warm and inclusive environments.

Details of the event and video recordings can found here.


EDUCAS project resources

Scroll down to access all project resources produced by EDUCAS project consortium.

 

 

This project is funded by the Erasmus+ program, K2

 

Photo: © VBJK - Caroline Boudry

 

 

News

EDUCAS project was presented to a broad international audience during the ISSA Connects Week in December 2020. 

90 children, 3 to 6 years old from Belgium, Italy and Lithuania were asked to draw their favourite space of the school.

Parents in Flanders, Belgium, tell through pictures what their children learn at home by playing. Two months without school and preschool. Two months without learning? Not at all, because playing is learning.

While the COVID-19 has impacted the activities of the EDUCAS project, partners have found ways to adjust their work.  

Resources

ECEC, quality, Belgium, Italy, Lithuania, children 0-6, ECEC spaces, educare
EDUCAS Toolbox aims to support coordinators, coaches, trainers, professionals that seek to stimulate professional development paths with ECEC staff with the aim to create child and friendly learning spaces in ECEC centres.  The Toolbox includes pedagogical approaches, methods and tools used during...
2021
EDUCAS project
VBJK, Center for Innovative Education, University of Parma, ISSA
Belgium, Italy, Lithuania
Nima Sharmahd, nima.sharmahd@vbjk.be
ECEC, quality, early childhood policy, ECEC spaces, educare
Educating and caring for young children is a big responsibility, challenge and commitment. The POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS for strengthening the importance of SPACE and EDUCARE approach in early childhood systems aim at providing a comprehensive set of recommendations for policymakers on EU and national...
2021
VBJK, Center for Innovative Education and ISSA
EDUCAS team
Belgium, Lithuania and Italy
Nima Sharmahd, nima.sharmahd@vbjk.be
ECEC, quality, Lithuania, children 0-6, ECEC spaces, educare
Throughout the three years of the EDUCAS project, partners in Belgium (FL), Italy and Lithuania have undertaken a thorough examination of existing visions and methods related to organizing ECEC environments in their contexts. With the support of two ECEC centres in each country, they have locally...
2021
Regina Sabaliauskiene
Center for Innovative Education
Lithuania
Regina Sabaliauskiene, regina@uic.lt
ECEC, quality, Italy, children 0-6, ECEC spaces, educare
Throughout the three years of the EDUCAS project, partners in Belgium (FL), Italy and Lithuania have undertaken a thorough examination of existing visions and methods related to organizing ECEC environments in their contexts. With the support of two ECEC centres in each country, they have locally...
2021
Ada Cigala and Sara Berti
University of Parma
Italy
Sara Berti, sara.berti@unipr.it
ECEC, quality, Belgium, children 0-6, ECEC spaces, educare
Throughout the three years of the EDUCAS project, partners in Belgium (FL), Italy and Lithuania have undertaken a thorough examination of existing visions and methods related to organizing ECEC environments in their contexts. With the support of two ECEC centres in each country, they have locally...
2021
Nima Sharmahd and Caroline Boudry
VBJK
Belgium
Nima Sharmahd, nima.sharmahd@vbjk.be
Belgium, Lithuania, Italy, ECEC, early childhood policy, family, social inclusion, holistic approach, inclusive practice, vulnerable groups
The EDUCAS project planned to start the Continuous Professional Development Paths (CPD) in the three countries involved (Belgium, Lithuania, Italy) with specific focus groups involving families and staff in the ECEC centers partners of the project. The aim of the focus groups has been: 1) gaining...
2021
EDUCAS project
VBJK, Center for Innovative Education in Lithuania, University of Parma
Belgium, Lithuania and Italy
Nima Sharmahd, nima.sharmahd@vbjk.be
Belgium, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands
This literature review, written under the EDUCAS project, investigates the meanings, relevance, and importance of physical indoor and outdoor space in early childhood education and care (ECEC) services for children from birth to school age. Authors map, synthesize and critically analyze the...
2019

Project Partners