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
Over the past three years, the EDUCAS project has been working to contribute to creating child and family friendly learning spaces in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) centers.
EDUCAS project has been an opportunity for the Italian ECEC centers, led by the University of Parma, to reflect on the space in which welcoming moments are now taking place: the entrance door.
