LIfBi Director Prof. Dr. Cordula Artelt handed over the donation to Assunta Fontana-Stark, employee of the KoKi specialist service in Bamberg, and City Youth Welfare Office Director Tobias Kobold on March 4, 2023. In future, the 500 rattle mice will be used during the welcome visits that the KoKi team offers to all families with newborns in Bamberg.
"One of our major areas of research is early childhood education, especially the conditions for its success. The work of the KoKi network is extremely important in supporting young families and identifying and preventing potential problems at an early stage. This also has an impact on children's chances of participating in education in our society. We are delighted to be able to support the KoKi network office in its work with this donation", says Professor Cordula Artelt, Director of the Bamberg-based Leibniz Institute for Educational Trajectories (LIfBi).
The Coordinating Child Protection Center (KoKi) of the city of Bamberg aims to identify excessive demands and risks in the parenting and development of children at an early stage and to provide cross-institutional support services. "One aspect is home visits, where we like to bring a little gift," explains Assunta Fontana-Stark. "In addition to hand-knitted socks, these colorful plush rattles will now be included."
One of the reasons for the donation to the KoKi is the 10th anniversary of the LIfBi this year. The institute was founded in 2014 to give Germany's largest long-term educational research study, the National Educational Panel Study, a permanent institutional home - before the institute was founded, the educational panel was run as a third-party funded project at the University of Bamberg for five years. The National Educational Panel Study monitors and regularly surveys more than 120,000 people on their educational path. Small gifts are often used as part of these surveys. In the survey of parents of newborns and infants, for example, these were the cuddly rattle mice whose surplus stocks the institute can now pass on to the local KoKi network office.
The KoKi staff take the time to answer questions and provide information and, if necessary, refer young families to other counseling services or facilities for babies and toddlers. The service is completely voluntary, free of charge and confidential. The "Coordinating Child Protection Centers (KoKis)" program has been funded by the Bavarian State Ministry for Family, Labour and Social Affairs in Bamberg since 2009.
Photos: Sonja Seufferth, City of Bamberg