We love it! Everyday is an incredible kid day!
Childcare Op Stoom, it's great that you are here! We didn't sit still in quarter 1! It has been great that we can continue our 'normal' Op Stoom life post-covid. There is always work to be done and we are working on innovation. You are going to find this look behind the scenes interesting and will want to put that invitation to our parents' evening on the 4th of july in your calendar right away!
Pedagogy in the picture
Offering loving care and giving space to discover what you can already do. This makes all the difference for children. This is an important part in our pedagogy! Now we already know very well how to do that but we are always learning when it comes to working with children and staying curious.
We are going to measure our pedagogical quality and that is why we are now working with a monitor (only available in dutch): https://expertisecentrumkinderopvang.nl/pib-tool/pib
It is a solid and user-friendly observation tool used by various childcare organizations to evaluate pedagogical quality.
In the meantime, a team of observers have been selected, training is taking place, we are getting to know the observation tool and we have started three pilots. Well begun is half done
Staff shortage, how is it going now?
This year we have currently received 31 new staff members and 25 staff members have left. It is possible to absorb the current outflow of employees, but getting more staff on board is not easy.
We continue to recruit and in the summer all employees who have completed training will graduate from our own Op Stoom class (really awesome!). A new Op Stoom class will start in September so that more new fun people are well trained in working with children.
We work with two employment agencies and a platform, both specialized in recruiting pedagogical staff. Unfortunately, they are also struggling to attract sufficient staff. Now that the covid pandemic seems to be on its way and all measures have been relaxed, absenteeism at Op Stoom is decreasing. That gives some space, but we're not there yet. More staff is needed to meet the current demand for childcare.
Let us take you on a journey!
Nature traveler Brigitta
Get your boots on time to go on an adventure. Together with me you will discover small creatures from the bottom of a ditch, stroke (or kiss) frogs, follow animal maps and you may even spot the rare purple heron. Nature teaches you
everything! Did you know, for example, that birds in the woods chirp more softly than in the city? Amazing! Today a lot of 'WOW' is guaranteed!
Sports traveler Marc
LETS GOOOO! Marc is in da house and he is always up for challenging courses with his white sports sock and top hat. Benches, chairs, tunnels, hoops, rings, mats… He pulls out all the stops. Obstacles? No there are none, even the Himalayas we will climb and slide down again. Whoooshhh. Jumping, sliding, rolling around, diving headfirst, balancing… It'll be alright. Only suitable for energetic little monkeys!
Theater traveler Melline
Open the magical costume chest and dive into the wonderful theater world full of storylines, make-up, music, costumes, dance and fantasy with me. Everything is allowed and nothing is weird. We share and play with each other. Come out of your shell and into the role of captain hook, princess, police officer, tiger you name it. A sold-out show guaranteed!
Permanent employees work in locations of Op Stoom and sometimes you may just run into one of our Travelers. They are visitors each with their own specialty. This is how we recognize them! Each and every one of them have mega-magical-cool activities in store for children. Each has its own specialism such as theater, dance, nature, robotics and music. Armed with massive amounts of passion and a trunk full of inspiring items, the Travelers travel from location to location. They effortlessly move along with all the magical thought jumps of children of all ages and have a lot of fun together. Who knows, maybe the children will discover a new exciting talent!
Are You Happy?
After 2 years of covid, we thought it was time to measure happiness at work at Op Stoom. This is important for our staff. When you work with children, a happy foundation is crucial.
Training agency Happyholics specializes in measuring happiness at work. At the beginning of this year they investigated happiness in the workplace at Op Stoom by means of a survey. 62% completed it and answered questions about personal contact, appreciation, freedom and personal development. Because 38 % did not complete the survey, the result is not 100 % representative but was certainly worth it. You can see a small impression below and we will look internally at the bigger picture.
● Being able to be yourself: it's valuable and special to see how many people indicate that this feeling is so powerfully present within Op Stoom.
● Pedagogy: this stands out. There is a lot of enthusiasm about Op Stoom's pedagogy. This is what employees stand for, want to carry out and make them happy.
● Work pressure plays a part in the happiness at work at Op Stoom. A lot has been asked of everyone in recent years. We have a mentality of hard work but some air is needed as well.
● Op Stoom DNA: Individuality and a clear vision are highly valued by many.
Credit points as of June 1, 2022
At the end of March we informed you about the future of the credit points. We have presented the parents' committees of the locations with 3 different options. Almost all parent committees opted for the proposal below. We have adopted this proposal and will this be implemented as of June 1st 2022.
Maximum number of credit points will be 500!
If your child does not come for a day, you can build up credit points. The maximum number of points that can be built up is 500. When the maximum number of credit points has been built up, you must first use points before new points can be built up. When credit points are used for an extra care day, the available credit decreases and this is build up again when the next absence is reported. The credit points expire when the contract expires.
Requirements
● If you cancel your child no later than 12 noon one day in advance, you will receive childcare points.
● You can sign off 3 months in advance.
● Daycare locations are dependent on the type of child and childcare. Does the childcare contract end? Then the remaining credit points also expire.
● No credit points? Then you will receive an invoice for the requested day of care. We do not settle an extra day of care with points received later.
● Note: signed off is signed off. If you have deregistered and later want childcare for this canceled day of care, you must request the day of care again. The Child Planning Department will then check whether the place is still available.
Request for an extra day with the use of credit points
● You can make the request with the parent app and you will see within three working days whether the request has been approved. Is there no place available yet? We will then automatically place the request on the waiting list.
● Approved requests cannot be canceled again in exchange for credit points. Has the request not yet been approved? Then you can cancel it quickly in the app.
● You can indicate with your request that you only want to make use of the requested childcare day if it is possible for all your children to come on this day.
Good to know
● In addition to the credit points, each parent receives a credit for the days that Op Stoom is closed, with the exception of official holidays. Those are the Friday after Ascension and the days between Christmas and New Year's Eve, provided this is a contract day. This credit is valid for one year from the 'missed' day of care. This credit is called "Compensation for closing days" and can therefore be clearly distinguished from the collected credit points in the parent app. They are called "credit points". The validity date is visible for both.
● Requests for extra days can be made again from June 1st, 2022, based on availability at the applicable rates.
● The inclusion of credit points stands and falls with timely deregistration. The better the Child Planning department knows what the actual child occupancy is, the more flexibility we can offer parents.
● Requests to include credit points or to purchase an extra day are processed in the order in which they are received.
Credit points as of June 1, 2022
At the end of March we informed you about the future of the credit points. We have presented the parents' committees of the locations with 3 different options. Almost all parent committees opted for the proposal below. We have adopted this proposal and will this be implemented as of June 1st 2022.
Maximum number of credit points will be 500!
If your child does not come for a day, you can build up credit points. The maximum number of points that can be built up is 500. When the maximum number of credit points has been built up, you must first use points before new points can be built up. When credit points are used for an extra care day, the available credit decreases and this is build up again when the next absence is reported. The credit points expire when the contract expires.
Requirements
● If you cancel your child no later than 12 noon one day in advance, you will receive childcare points.
● You can sign off 3 months in advance.
● Daycare locations are dependent on the type of child and childcare. Does the childcare contract end? Then the remaining credit points also expire.
● No credit points? Then you will receive an invoice for the requested day of care. We do not settle an extra day of care with points received later.
● Note: signed off is signed off. If you have deregistered and later want childcare for this canceled day of care, you must request the day of care again. The Child Planning Department will then check whether the place is still available.
Request for an extra day with the use of credit points
● You can make the request with the parent app and you will see within three working days whether the request has been approved. Is there no place available yet? We will then automatically place the request on the waiting list.
● Approved requests cannot be canceled again in exchange for credit points. Has the request not yet been approved? Then you can cancel it quickly in the app.
● You can indicate with your request that you only want to make use of the requested childcare day if it is possible for all your children to come on this day.
Good to know
● In addition to the credit points, each parent receives a credit for the days that Op Stoom is closed, with the exception of official holidays. Those are the Friday after Ascension and the days between Christmas and New Year's Eve, provided this is a contract day. This credit is valid for one year from the 'missed' day of care. This credit is called "Compensation for closing days" and can therefore be clearly distinguished from the collected credit points in the parent app. They are called "credit points". The validity date is visible for both.
● Requests for extra days can be made again from June 1st, 2022, based on availability at the applicable rates.
● The inclusion of credit points stands and falls with timely deregistration. The better the Child Planning department knows what the actual child occupancy is, the more flexibility we can offer parents.
● Requests to include credit points or to purchase an extra day are processed in the order in which they are received.
Save the date! 4 july 2022!
Wilma van Esch
We want our children to stand firm and resilient in the world. Full of self-confidence, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit. However? Sometimes this sounds really easy.
Children are not things to be molded but are people to be unfolded. Just like adults. We have been able to experience this a lot lately. That is why we cordially invite you to an inspiring, cheerful and energizing webinar. Wilma van Esch (www.zevenmorgens.nl) lets you look at the development of children through recognizable stories and practical examples and think about how we can do it together and through the eyes of the children.
More info will follow!