The protection of children is a socially highly relevant topic that is of great importance in research, teaching and practice. How can child endangerment be recognised in educational institutions? Which procedures should be used and which practices have proven to be particularly helpful for children and families? These and other questions will be addressed at the conference in cooperation with practitioners and researchers. The conference is aimed at interested parties throughout Germany and thus contributes to the dissemination of relevant findings.

A strong programme for child protection

The two-day conference offers a top-class programme with specialist presentations, thought and dialogue workshops as well as interactive exchange formats. Prof. Dr. Eva Schmitt-Rodermund, president of the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam, Stefan Spieker, managing director of Fr?bel Bildung und Erziehung gGmbH, and Alexandra Mebus-Haarhoff, head of the Children, Youth and Family Department of the state capital Potsdam, will open the conference.

Katrin Hentze, head of the Child Protection Department at Fr?bel, will kick off the event with her keynote speech "#TOGETHER for good child protection - at Fr?bel". Afterwards, renowned experts such as Prof. Dr. Regina R?tz, Prof. Dr. Tim Wersig and Prof. Dr. J?rg Maywald will shed light on the key challenges and perspectives of child protection.

Prof. Dr. Annette Dreier, professor of pedagogy and education in childhood at the FHP: "For the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam, the cooperation with Fr?bel and the Fr?bel kindergartens is a great benefit: We experience a great deal of interest in "the theory", i. e. our childhood education projects and research, and we find open ears and doors for our ideas in the facilities. At the same time, the daycare centres constantly give us new impetus for projects and research projects with children and students. In addition, interns are supported at a high professional level and, after completing their bachelor's degree, numerous graduates of the degree programme Early Childhood Education have already worked in Fr?bel daycare centres. For us, the collaboration is characterised by high professional quality, innovation and inspiration."

Professional exchange and practical workshops
In addition to lectures, the focus is on exchange in thought and dialogue workshops. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss practical issues such as highly contentious parental conflicts, participation and complaints procedures for children, protection against discrimination in child protection and cooperation between daycare centres and youth welfare offices.

The programme will be rounded off by a cultural finale with a children's literary inspiration by Prof. Gunnar Pietsch and a lecture by Anne Kuhnert on the importance of an open and sustainable team culture for child protection.

The conference, jointly organised by the Potsdam University of Applied Sciences and Fr?bel e.V., will generate new knowledge for university teaching and educational practice by exchanging experiences and presenting good practice and research findings on the topic.

New building on campus and research kindergarten
The University of Applied Sciences Potsdam has been working for many years with the Ministry of Science, Research and Culture and the Brandenburg State Office for Real Estate and Construction on the construction of a new university building (New Building V), which will be built from summer 2025. The new building will be used by various departments of the university. In addition, a research kindergarten will be set up on the ground floor, which will be supported by the Department of Social and Educational Sciences with its Early Childhood Education degree programme and closely integrated into teaching and research. Fr?bel has been secured as the organiser of this research kindergarten and the facility at the FHP is part of a nationwide Fr?bel research network.