In 2000, the following was laid down in the German Civil Code: "Children have the right to a non-violent upbringing. Physical punishments, psychological injuries and other degrading measures are not permitted" (Section 1631 (2) BGB). Violence against children has many faces. In daycare centres, children experience different forms of everyday violence: for example, coercion, such as when they are asked to taste or eat something. When they are restricted in their freedom of movement, when they are shamed or punished. Scolding, shouting at them or grabbing them roughly by the arm is also abusive.
The BiKA study ("Participation of children in everyday daycare", 2018 – 2020) used videography in crèche groups to investigate how the participation rights of the youngest children are implemented in everyday life: https://www.pina- research.de/forschung/forschungsprojekte/bika/.
According to the results of the study, for example, almost half of the daycare centre groups surveyed had physical contact with children during lunch that crossed boundaries. In just as many mealtimes, not all children are able to decide for themselves how much they want to eat or drink. Restrictions on children's movements can also be observed in almost every second mealtime situation observed.
It can't stay like this! In agreement with many colleagues from practice and science, we are calling for this:
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Daycare centres need more and well-trained educational professionals. They need more time for preparation and follow-up, for reflection, team meetings and further training. The childcare ratio needs to be significantly improved.
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Violence must not be part of everyday life in daycare centres. Misbehaviour must be defined more clearly. Pedagogical behaviour based on children's rights must be a priority for staff and team development. The training and further education of educational professionals on children's participation and protection rights must be improved and expanded immediately.
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Children must be able to complain effectively, as must their parents. To this end, the legally required complaints mechanisms in daycare centres and independent ombudsman offices must finally be systematically established.
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We need more knowledge about how children's participation and protection rights are actually realised in daycare centres and after-school care centres, and how the children see this. This is the only way to develop effective ways of intervention and prevention. To do this, we need more monitoring and more research.
In safe places, children's rights are protected overall. In safe places, children experience self-determination and co-determination, can fully develop their personality and are protected from discrimination and overstepping boundaries.
Prof Dr Frauke Hildebrandt (Potsdam University of Applied Sciences, iffe e.V.)
Prof. Dr Catherine Walter-Laager (University of Graz, PEP Centre) Bianka Pergande (German League for the Child)
Katrin Macha (ISTA Institute for the Situational Approach/INA Berlin gGmbH) Prof Dr Jörg Maywald (German League for the Child)
Prof Dr Gerlind Große (Potsdam University of Applied Sciences)
Press contact:
Bianka Pergande (German League for the Child)
0152 – 36 93 86 05
post@liga-kind.de
Link to the online petition:
openpetition.de/!childrightsprotection
Links to current reporting:
- BR24 article from 14.12.2022: https://www.br.de/nachrichten/bayern/gewalt-in-kitas-zahl-der-meldungen-steigt-stark-an,TPu3dnT
- tagesschau.de-Article from 14.12.2022: https://www.tagesschau.de/investigativ/br-recherche/kindertagesstaetten-gewalt-personalmangel-101.html
- The drawn social video: https://www.facebook.com/BR24/videos/1205094673549770
- BR24 article from 15.12.2022: https://www.br.de/nachrichten/bayern/kita-recherchen-des-br-beschaeftigen-landtag,TQ6ZuBZ
- Spiegel online article from 13.12.2022: https://www.spiegel.de/panorama/bildung/verdacht-auf-gewalt-in-kitas-alleingelassen-blossgestellt-zum-essen-gezwungen-a-9f688b17-2d52-4841–81eb-7ff97190b18d?sara_ecid=soci_upd_KsBF0AFjflf0DZCxpPYDCQgO1dEMph
- Interview in Der Spiegel from 20.12.2022: https://www.spiegel.de/panorama/bildung/probleme-in-kitas-gewaltfreie-erziehung-ist-ein-unerreichbares-ideal-sagt-forscher-joerg-maywald-a-0f23d924-038a-4330–92da-d3bda5bd49f7
Signatories of the petition:
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Alternative Welfare Association SOAL e. V. Hamburg
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AWO District Association Potsdam e. V.
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BEVKi – Federal Parents' Association for Children in Day Care Centres and Childminders
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Bundesnetzwerk Fortbildung und Beratung in der Frühpädagogik e.V.
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Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk e.V.
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Diakonisches Werk Berlin-Brandenburg-schlesische Oberlausitz e.V.
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GEW – Trade Union for Education and Science
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Initiative Familien e.V.
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KinderRechteForum non-profit organisation
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Federal Association for Child Protection
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LKEB – Landeskitaelternbeirat Brandenburg
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National Coalition Germany – Network for the Implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child e.V.
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OUTLAW.the foundation
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Paritätischer Landesverband Brandenburg e.V.
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Association of Childcare Professionals Bavaria e.V.
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Association of Childcare Professionals Baden-Württemberg e.V.
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Association of Childcare Professionals Hesse e.V.
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Association of Childcare Professionals Lower Saxony-Bremen e.V.
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Association for Daycare Professionals NRW e.V.
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Rhineland-Palatinate Association of Childcare Professionals
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Association Kita-Fachkräfte Sachsen und Sachsen-Anhalt- Die Stimme aus der Praxis e.V.
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ver.di – United Services Union
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Zarah Abendschön-Sawall (Initiative Familien e.V.)
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Amna Janne Akeela (Practical support & specialist counselling, Hamburg)
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Dr Elke Alsago (Federal Group Leader ver.di Education, Training and Social Work)
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Andrea Asch (Diakonisches Werk Berlin-Brandenburg-schlesische Oberlausitz e.V.) 2
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Deniz Atas (Diploma in Social Education, Berlin)
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Dr Jasmin Bempreiksz-Luthardt (PEP Centre Berlin)
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Detlef Bicker (training and further education provider for daycare centres, Karlsruhe)
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Katrin Bogenschütz-Langanki (Office for Family, Schools and Clubs, Department
Child day care, Filderstadt)
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Prof Dr Karin Borck (Potsdam University of Applied Sciences)
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Christina Brauner (BVZ GmbH day-care centres, Frankfurt am Main)
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Gerhild Damm (freelance lecturer in the field of early childhood, Berlin)
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Sina Denecke (Initiative Familien e.V.)
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Heike Dickel-Kanzok (Specialist counselling city administration, Ludwigshafen am Rhein)
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Dr Stephanie Dinkelaker (Initiative Familien e.V.)
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Detlef Diskowski (Projects and Consultancy)
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Prof Dr Lars Eichen (University of Graz)
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Christiane Engländer (Practice for Psychosocial Counselling & Training, Ludwigshafen)
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Prof. Dr habil. Kerstin Eschwege (Clara Hoffbauer Potsdam University of Applied Sciences)
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Petra Evanschitzky (freelance consultant in the field of early childhood education, Stuttgart)
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Kerstin Feist (day care centres, iseF and specialist team for child protection BVZ GmbH, Frankfurt)
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Katrin Findert (freelance consultant in the field of early childhood education, Augsburg)
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Dr Anne Fischbach (Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education, Frankfurt)
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Prof. Dr mult. Wassilios Fthenakis (Professor of Educational Science, Honorary President Didacta)
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Gisela Fux (Municipal Day Care Centre, Stuttgart)
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Prof Dr Caterina Gawrilow (University of Tübingen)
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Dewi Geithner (Hermannswerder Vocational Schools)
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Prof Dr Dorothee Gutknecht (Protestant University of Applied Sciences Freiburg)
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Ass. jur. Hartmut Gerstein (author and trainer and former head of the department
Child day care centres and child day care Rhineland-Palatinate State Youth Welfare Office)
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Dr Ramiro Glauer (Potsdam University of Applied Sciences)
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Regina Grafe (AWO Integrationskita Sonnenblume, Cottbus)
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Daniel Grein (Federal Association for Child Protection)
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Evi Gruber (Jahnareal children's centre, Filderstadt)
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Lena Grüber (publisher Was mit Kindern WamiKi, Berlin)
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Eva Grüber (Verlag Was mit Kindern WamiKi, Berlin)
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Manuela Gruhl (German Adult Education Centre, Cottbus)
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Rita Haberkorn (formerly of the German Youth Institute DJI and the ISTA Institute for the
Situationsansatz/INA Berlin gGmbH)
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Anna Harsch (early childhood and social pedagogue, AMI Montessori pedagogue, Berlin)
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Karin Hinkelbein-Clauß (Office for Family, Schools and Clubs, Filderstadt) 3
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Holger Hofmann (Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk e.V.)
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Kariane Höhn (freelance consultant in the field of early childhood education, Tübingen)
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Sandra Hörner (Dachverband Stuttgarter Eltern-Kind-Gruppen e.V.)
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Anne Huber-Kebbe (Learning awakens potential!, Merzhausen)
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Heike Hüllsieck (Private specialised school for social pedagogy and curative education, Bremen)
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Beate Irskens (expert in the daycare centre and youth welfare sector, Kelkheim)
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Petra Jurczyk (You and You publishing house, Geislingen)
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Andreas Kaczynski (Paritätischer Landesverband Brandenburg e.V.)
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Catharina Kahl (LKEB – Landeskitaelternbeirat Brandenburg)
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Prof. Dr phil. Annegret Klassert (Clara Hoffbauer Potsdam University of Applied Sciences)
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Julia Klopp (Hermannswerder Vocational Schools)
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Prof Dr Raingard Knauer (Kiel University of Applied Sciences)
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Melanie Krause (Association of Childcare Professionals Lower Saxony-Bremen e.V.)
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Prof Dr Karsten Krauskopf (Potsdam University of Applied Sciences)
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Maren Kremer (Association for Daycare Professionals NRW e.V.)
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Jenny Kreyenberg (Hermannswerder Vocational Schools)
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Ariane Krüger-Haas (Head of Early Education and Family Services, Weiterstadt)
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Ann-Kathrin Kühn (Theodor-Körner-Grundschule Leipzig)
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Ursula Kühn (Hermannswerder Vocational Schools)
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Anna-Maria Kuricová (Initiative Familien e.V.)
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Bianca Lange (Hermannswerder Vocational Schools)
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Barbara Leitner (trainer for non-violent communication, process facilitator, trainer, coach and
Author, Berlin)
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Veronika Lindner (Bavarian Association of Childcare Professionals)
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Birgit Lommel (Day-care centres for children Mannheim, Mannheim)
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Marika Maurer (Municipal Kindergarten, Filderstadt)
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Prof Dr Claudia Meier Magistretti (Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts)
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Vera Mengler (Association of Childcare Professionals Hesse)
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Prof Dr em. Hilbert Meyer (Carl von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg)
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Prof Dr Peggy Meyer-Hansel (Clara Hoffbauer Potsdam University of Applied Sciences)
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Prof Dr Natascha Naujok (Protestant University of Applied Sciences Berlin)
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Prof Dr Sandra Niebuhr-Siebert (Clara Hoffbauer Potsdam University of Applied Sciences)
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Prof Ludger Pesch (Director Pestalozzi-Fröbel-Haus)
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Prof. Dr phil. habil. Manfred Pfiffner (Zurich University of Teacher Education)
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Ulrike Pohlmann (IBEB Social Sciences Koblenz University of Applied Sciences)
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Ass. Prof Eva Pölzl-Stefanec (University of Graz)
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Irina Prüm (BEVKi – Federal Parents' Association for Children in Day Care Centres and Childminders)
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Philipp Rahn (Pedagogical Counselling Mittelhof e.V.)
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Prof Dr Regina Remsperger-Kehm (Fulda University of Applied Sciences)
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Heike Riedmann (Initiative Familien e.V.)
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Markus Ritter (ife – Institute for Elementary Education, Kassel)
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Sibylle Rothkegel (psychotherapist, supervisor, lecturer, Berlin)
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Prof Dr Jeanette Roos (Heidelberg University of Education)
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Prof Dr Maxine Saborowski (Clara Hoffbauer Potsdam University of Applied Sciences)
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Sabine Sandmaier (District Office Main-Tauber-Kreis)
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Klaudia Schäfer (D‑A-CH German speaking groups for non-violent communication e.V.)
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Dr Andy Schieler (Institute for Education, Upbringing and Childcare in Rhineland-Palatinate)
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Karin Schloßhauer (Jugendhilfe Cottbus gemeinnützige GmbH)
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Nina-Sofia Schmidt (ISTA Institute for the Situational Approach/INA Berlin gGmbH)
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Prof Dr Alexandra Schmidt-Wenzel (Potsdam University of Applied Sciences)
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Prof Dr Armin Schneider (IBEB Social Sciences Koblenz University of Applied Sciences)
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Helia Schneider (advanced training in elementary education supervision & coaching)
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Beatrice Schubert (language daycare centre consultant, Neulußheim)
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Ute Schubert-Stähr (Resource Workshop, Bamberg)
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Ingrid Schulz (Training and Counselling in Early Childhood Education, Kressbonn)
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Dorothea Schulze (training officer for early childhood topics, Stuttgart)
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Angela Schweers (AWO Bezirksverband Potsdam e. V.)
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Katrin Schwertfeger (D‑A-CH German speaking groups for non-violent communication e.V.)
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Doreen Siebernick (GEW – Trade Union for Education and Science)
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Anika Smits (Association for Daycare Professionals NRW e.V.)
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Carolin Stock (Specialist counselling for day-care centres, Bretten)
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Dirk Stoewer (Bundesnetzwerk Fortbildung und Beratung in der Frühpädagogik e. V. and
Day care centres northwest Berlin)
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Prof Dr Benedikt Sturzenhecker (University of Hamburg)
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Claudia Theobald (Rhineland-Palatinate Association of Childcare Professionals)
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Prof Dr Stefan Thomas (Potsdam University of Applied Sciences)
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Prof Dr Thomas Trautmann (University of Hamburg)
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Claudia Ungefehr (Association of Daycare Professionals Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt – The Voice from the Field)
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Yvonne Ungerer (trainer and counsellor for early language education, Kassel)
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Petra Wagner (Specialist Centre for Prejudice-Aware Education and Upbringing at ISTA)
Institute for the Situational Approach/INA Berlin gGmbH)
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Prof Dr Sabine Walper (German League for the Child, President) 5
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Suse Weisse (Clara Hoffbauer Potsdam University of Applied Sciences)
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Dr Monika Wertfein (State Institute for Early Childhood Education and Media Competence)
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Eva Wichtl (Specialist counselling daycare centre)
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Prof Dr Anne Wihstutz (Protestant University of Applied Sciences Berlin)
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Monika Wilhelm (Magistrate of the City of Weiterstadt)
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Brigitte Johanna Will (Counselling & Coaching for daycare centres, Bavaria)
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Dagmar Windl (Hermannswerder Vocational Schools)
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Ursula Winklhofer (German Youth Institute DJI)
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Dr Caroline Wronski (Potsdam University of Applied Sciences)
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Carola Wunderlich-Knietsch (Municipal Day Care Centres, Munich)
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Gerda Wunschel (INA.KINDER.GARTEN gGmbH)
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Oliver Zierdt (AWO Integrationskita Sonnenblume, Cottbus)
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Sylvia Zöller (Counselling and Coaching, Karlsruhe)