A talk with Nico Dietrich, head of the childcare team at the LIPSCHULE
Nico Dietrich, what type of after-school care does the LIPSCHULE offer in addition to lessons?
The childcare team is there for the children on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 3:45-6 p.m. and on Wednesday afternoon from 12:15-6 p.m. Our excursions take place on Wednesday afternoons. Depending on the weather we go to playgrounds or visit museums and similar institutions. In winter we sometimes stay at the LIPSCHULE and do indoor activities. In addition, we offer holiday care during eight weeks of the year; this is tailored to the development level of the attending children and their current needs. They can always contribute their own ideas and interests.
Who makes use of this?
The service is used primarily by families where both parents work. I’ve been at the LIPSCHULE for five years and the need for after-school care has increased steadily during this time. I’m not sure of the exact reasons for this, but I think it’s partly because the children like to come to us. During the school day they don’t have much time to play with their friends, but with us they do.
Do you think that the after-school care is a key point in parents deciding in favour of the LIPSCHULE or is it only a secondary consideration?
I don’t think that it’s a main point, but it’s still important for parents or guardians. I would say that it’s probably a secondary consideration but one that attracts people (smiles).
What exactly takes place, is it about helping with homework or are there other activities too?
We don’t offer any help with homework, we focus on social learning and playing with friends. With us, the children enjoy their leisure time. We take a needs-based approach, in other words, we observe the children, identify their current wishes and interests, and plan the time together on the basis of our observations and findings. Our team, which comprises two childcare specialists and one trainee, is supplemented by the LIPSCHULE’s arts and crafts teachers. We focus on the sense of community in everything we do. This is sometimes challenging, if you think that we are looking after and supervising children aged between 4 and 10. The needs here are of course quite varied, and a number of questions arise: What does being part of a group mean? How do I find my place in the group? What are my interests? How can I express my needs? The children deal with these and other questions every day. But they like the fact that we always involve them in making the decisions. So you could say that the children take the lead in the after-school care, not we adults (laughs). The result is that the children have such a good time with us that they sometimes don’t want to be collected at the end of the day but would prefer to keep playing. This is of course the greatest compliment for me and my team.
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