Strengthening children 2.0

Since December 2016, children with special learning and life difficulties in daycare centres in Chemnitz have benefited from the EU funding programme "Measures for children with special learning and life difficulties". For this reason, the "KINDER STÄRKEN 2.0" programme was launched in summer 2022. The basic aim is to counteract disadvantages, create good educational conditions and strive for equal opportunities for all children.

According to the Saxon State Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs (SMK), there has been a steady increase in behavioural and language problems among pre-school children in the Free State of Saxony. In order to strengthen children's ability to deal with challenges at an early stage, they are also accompanied and supported by other specialists in their everyday lives. The continued support for children and families is all the more important as success in early childhood education is often not immediately visible and requires a lot of time.

Developmental risks can be observed through intensive contact with the children. Accordingly, targeted educational and support programmes are developed in coordination with the educational team to help the children overcome their individual difficulties.

At the same time, parents and families are involved in order to have a holistic effect. If necessary, the additional specialists also offer counselling for parents or refer them to further services. To this end, contacts with network partners are continuously established and maintained and co-operations are entered into. The aim is effective cooperation for customised help within the network in order to strengthen children and their families in the long term.

One of the focal points of the additional specialists' day-to-day work in the daycare centres is the promotion of children's social-emotional skills. As a basis for this, the children learn to consciously perceive their own feelings and to recognise, accept and deal with those of others. This ability also plays an important role in learning strategies for conflict resolution. It is precisely in these various everyday situations that the additional specialised staff provide the children with intensive support.

Constant mirroring of behaviour as a method as well as the joint development of possible solutions leads to a better understanding and acceptance of the children's emotional world in their daily interactions. This in turn has a positive effect on the personality development of the individual children and ultimately also on the community as well as on coping with life situations and enables respectful and considerate interaction with one another.

Day care centres involved

Both municipal and independent day-care centres in the Chemnitz day-care landscape are involved:

Municipal day care centres:

• Clausewitzstraße 4, 09130 Chemnitz
• Schloßstraße 29, 09111 Chemnitz
• Schulstraße 2, 09130 Chemnitz
• Pestalozzistraße 33, 09130 Chemnitz
• Fürstenstraße 263/265, 09130 Chemnitz
• Jakobstraße 20, 09130 Chemnitz
• Ernst-Wabra-Straße 34, 09123 Chemnitz
• Schloßstraße 16, 09111 Chemnitz
• Fritz-Matschke-Straße 23, 09113 Chemnitz
• Comeniusstraße 1, 09120 Chemnitz
• Weststraße 19, 09112 Chemnitz

Day care centres run by independent providers:

• "Rappel-Zappel" children's and family centre, Paul-Arnold-Straße 1, 09130 Chemnitz, Arbeiterwohlfahrt Soziale Dienste Chemnitz und Umgebung gGmbH
• "Kinderparadies" daycare centre, Clara-Zetkin-Straße 1, 09111 Chemnitz, Arbeiterwohlfahrt Soziale Dienste Chemnitz und Umgebung gGmbH
• "Sonnenbergstrolche" daycare centre, Sebastian-Bach-Straße 21, 09130 Chemnitz, Volkssolidarität Chemnitz
• "Flohzirkus" daycare centre, Obere Hauptstraße 5, 09228 Chemnitz/Wittgensdorf, Kinder-, Jugend- und Familienhilfe e. V. Chemnitz
• Fridolin" daycare centre, Usti nad Labem 197, 09119 Chemnitz, Kindervereinigung Chemnitz e. V.
• Naturkinderhaus Spatzennest, Am Harthwald 128/130, 09123 Chemnitz, Arbeiterwohlfahrt Soziale Dienste Chemnitz und Umgebung gGmbH
• Montessori children's centre Pfiffikus, Max-Türpe-Straße 40/42, 09122 Chemnitz, Volkssolidarität Chemnitz
• Lebensbaum kindergarten, Sonnenstraße 42, 09130 Chemnitz, Caritasverband für Chemnitz und Umgebung e. V.
• Kindergarten Schatzkiste, Pestalozzistraße 33, 09130 Chemnitz, Caritasverband für Chemnitz und Umgebung e. V.
• Daycare centre Bernsdorfer Straße 120, 09126 Chemnitz, Kinder-, Jugend- und Familienhilfe e. V. Chemnitz
• Flohzirkus daycare centre, Kirchweg 8, 09228 Chemnitz, Kinder-, Jugend- und Familienhilfe e. V. Chemnitz
• After-school care centre at Gablenz primary school, Liddy-Ebersberger-Straße 2 and Carl-von-Ossietzky-Straße 171, 09127 Chemnitz, Kinder-, Jugend- und Familienhilfe e. V. Chemnitz
• KiFaZ Zeisigwaldfüchse, Yorckstraße 48, 09130 Chemnitz, Kinder-, Jugend- und Familienhilfe e. V. Chemnitz