About us

Information, Networking and Strategic Advice

The Coordination Centre for Men in ECEC has the following objective: We aim to work together with policy makers and key players in the field of early childhood education and care to significantly increase the number of male educators working in ECEC facilities in the years to come.

We have been working closely with different partners since early 2010, with the support of ECEC educators, ECEC provider programme directors, administrators, policy makers, academics and parents. The findings of our qualitative and quantitative surveys on “Male Educators in Kitas (ECEC)” provide ample evidence of this support. The Coordination Centre is affiliated with the Catholic University of Applied Social Sciences Berlin (KHSB) and is funded by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ).

Improving men’s career prospects in early childhood education and care

Our activities focus on public relations work, information provision, advice, networking and support for those working in the field of ECEC. We aim to foster dialogue among policy makers, key players in the ECEC field and researchers to improve men’s career prospects and to develop strategies to recruit more male professionals to ECEC centres.

Working together to develop strategies

We provide support to ECEC centres in recruiting male educators. We organise consultation meetings and strategy workshops in which we collaborate with participants and key players to develop future-oriented strategies and projects that will increase the percentage of male educators working in ECEC centres and, at the same time, improve cooperation between male and female workers. We hold networking meetings to foster dialogue among key players and to promote the exchange of national and international research findings. The Coordination Centre’s work is characterised by its practical approach, specialist expertise and close cooperation with a wide range of partners and networks.

Areas of work

Are you interested in the issue of men in ECEC centres and looking for support?

Information: We provide information on ECEC careers and the current situation in the profession. Furthermore, we disseminate the findings of our study, “Male Educators in Kitas (ECEC)”, findings from recent German and international studies, and provide information on best practices (examples and new developments at the regional level).

Strategic advice: The recruitment of more male professionals for ECEC centres requires comprehensive field knowledge, efficient organisational and personnel development processes, committed staff and a thorough understanding of gender issues in the ECEC field. We advise policy makers, ECEC providers and networks in order to facilitate collaboration on the development of a long-term strategy for recruiting more male professionals to ECEC facilities.

Events: We hold conferences, seminars and expert roundtables to disseminate information on recent developments in ECEC research, to identify gaps in the research and to present practical approaches. In cooperation with a number of different key players in the ECEC field, we work to advance the research on this topic.

Networking: We support existing networks and launch new networks to create sustainable structures for an exchange of expertise.

Public relations work: Our PR work contributes to increasing public awareness and appreciation of early childhood education and care. It informs about the possibilities and challenges of working in ECEC to make the field more attractive for men as well as women.