In addition to her studies in Pedagogical Sciences, with a major in childcare, Marlies de Haan has gained considerable experience in the field. Her training agency, which gave her a front seat view of childcare, was a particularly enriching experience. “It really shaped my view of what quality is.” Marlies’ career path at Partou has taken her from setting manager, trainer, and quality manager to where she is today.
Personal drive
"I think I have the greatest job in the world," Marlies laughs. Not ecessarily because we are so big, but because we reach an incredible number of children. On top of that, parents - women in particular - can continue to grow and develop professionally because they have good and reliable childcare. It places us in a unique position to make a truly positive impact on society.” Marlies sees childcare as a mini society: “A kind of Madurodam, so to speak. At a childcare centre, you learn everything you need in life. How to get along with others, how to make friends. How to deal with setbacks. In that respect, Partou's mission – moving generations forward - really resonates with me.”
Innovation & perception
Where Marlies' department has always worked on quality and early years education, the 'I' for Innovation has now been added to the portfolio. “It actually has to do with perception, like the appearance of our settings, the way we write the diary reports and our programme of activities.”
The vision for activities has also been articulated. The best of Partou and Smallsteps are brought together in six brand new themes: Fantasy & Create, Together & Play, Green & Healthy, Stage & Expression, Wise & Discover, and Sports & Physical Activity. “For me, our programme of activities stands on equal footing with our development strategy for the children. The themes are based on scientific concepts. We want to offer children of all ages a range of activities that contributes to their development and aligns with their interests and experiences.”
Falling and getting back up
It was truly a year of transition for Partou, according to Marlies. “Still in the midst of a changing organisation, with an uncertain cycle of lockdowns and re-openings to top it off. We were constantly changing course and sometimes that came with falling and getting back back up."
“The same can be said for children as well,” she continues. “You want to protect them from harm, but they should be allowed to fall and get back up. So they can practice growing up. You don't know what gravity is until you fall flat on your face. That’s how you learn. If we don't allow children to experience that, it will be a very socially engineered and cautious world. And that also applies to us as adults.”
Resilience
As far as Marlies is concerned, the word of the year for 2021 is 'resilience’. “The past year has been another tough one, also for families. Resilience was needed more than ever," she explains. "This word is also reflected in our pedagogical vision: that we want children to develop into resilient people, now and in the future. That you are able to adapt in society, inyour family and at work. I think it's great that we can contribute to that."
A commitment to care
No matter where Partou is, we strive to make a difference: for children, families, our people, and the planet. Curious about what we do, what we dream of, and the challenges we face?