Dropping your child at different daycares may impact attachment

Because of personnel shortages, children cannot attend the same daycare every day. Therefore, parents drop off their children at several daycares throughout the week. This practice is becoming more and more common, a spokesperson of the Brancheorganisatie Kinderopvang (Branch organisation childcare, BK) says to the Dutch news website Nu.nl.

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Dragging children along

However, Gjalt Jellesma, President of the Belangenvereniging van Ouders in de Kinderopvang (BOink), in English translated as Interest Organisation of Parents in Daycare, warns that “dragging children along” is undesirable. Even though he understands why parents feel the need to do so, he suggests that requesting a different work schedule is a better option. That way, parents can adjust to the availability of one daycare.

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BOink and BK stress the need for children to attach themselves to specific people. According to the BK spokesperson, especially young children can only attach themselves to a limited number of carers. The spokesperson points out that it is much for children to be in several daycares. "They are in a totally different environment, with different carers and friends. The quality of daycares is very dependent on stability."

Hug

In addition, it is more challenging for daycare employees to provide personalised care for children when they only see them once a week. A pedagogical worker who knows her children very well because she sees them regularly is better at playing into the different characters of the children, BK points out. Jellema adds that one child likes playing alone, while another wants to be hugged. "It takes time to get to know these specific needs."