18.02.2011 – A new addition to the Dussmann Group: Following facility management, care for the elderly, office services and the KulturKaufhaus, the company turns its attention to child care.

 

By: Anne Honisch
Photo: Kay Herschelmann

The Dussmann Group has offspring, literally. In future, the company will be operating child care facilities for companies, combining business acumen with pedagogical know-how – a combination that is in demand: companies who are considering an in-house kindergarten already have enough to do with their core activities. This rarely leaves opportunity to go into the details of the many aspects of child care.

The path to the KulturKindergarten

In offering child care, Dussmann is primarily a service provider. Initially, the preconditions and requirements of the client are identified: what are their individual needs? What space is available? What legal requirements apply in the federal state? There are many questions to answer and many regulations to observe. During this phase, Dussmann also examines the catchment area because the company kindergarten also accepts local children.
The results are the basis of the business plan which Dussmann prepares – for a kindergarten, tailored to the client's individual requirements including calculation of the costs involved.

What makes a KulturKindergarten

The Dussmann Group has experience with long opening hours - the KulturKaufhaus has always been a market leader in this context so it is no surprise that the KulturKindergarten has longer opening hours than the competition: 365 days a year, up to 24 hours a day, just as the client wishes.

The pedagogical concept is based on the contextual approach: each child is nurtured according to his or her development, family background, culture and knowledge. This individual and very personal care strengthens self-confidence and teaches responsibility.
Art and culture play a major role in the pedagogical concept. Dussmann cooperates with local cultural organizations such as museums, galleries, theaters and music schools.

Children visit artists and vice versa. The two-way exchange opens new perspectives and gives the children insight into the world of art and culture. For example, for the kindergarten of the accident hospital in Berlin, Dussmann cooperates with the art college in Weißensee. In a first step, students develop a color concept in which every room has an individual design.

At the KulturKindergarten, children deploy all of their senses to learn –alone, together with other children and with educators. A subject is examined from all angles; the pedagogical concept offers the sunflower as an example. The flower features in a van Gogh painting, in a poem by Goethe and in a song. The children examine the sunflower: in van Gogh's painting, in paintings of their own, in their singing and by encountering the flower growing in the field.
The project is extended to using dried sunflower seeds and creating sunflowers of their own with a variety of materials.

The second focus of the concept is English as the second language. In order to ensure high quality, Dussmann depends on native speakers and in order to find these, the company has come up with a number of ideas. Partnerships with certified training institutions in English-speaking countries will bring English-speaking specialists to the KulturKindergarten.

Building on this pedagogical basis, children can also influence their activities. This flexibility enables the kindergarten to adapt to the needs of the employees and the corporate culture.
Whatever is required: the Dussmann Group puts it into action.

If you have questions concerning the KulturKindergarten, please address them to Dr. Kathrin Schmidt, Contact:

 

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