Enhancing Nursery Quality Through European Knowledge Exchange
Published on
01/10/2025
About this challenge
Poland
Challenge description
The City of Warsaw is continuously working to improve the quality of early childhood care services, especially in nurseries. While many facilities function well, there are system-level challenges: staff training, equalizing staff competences, and evaluation of the pedagogical work of caregivers. By learning from other European countries, the City of Warsaw seeks practical solutions that can be adapted locally to enhance efficiency and support child development. We also want to network with other facilities with similar needs.
Challenges:
• Practice Exchange and Institutional Collaboration
There is a lack of structured cooperation between nurseries. We see the need for regular networking, experience exchange, and working groups that support peer learning and development.
• Workforce and Training
Nursery staff enter the profession with varying skill levels. It’s essential to equalize competencies, create individualized development paths, and design training based on real needs. The technical and logistical aspects of implementing training also pose challenges.
• Evaluation of Pedagogical Practice
There is a need for consistent and systematic evaluation of caregivers’ pedagogical work. Implementing regular, structured observation and feedback processes can support professional growth and ensure high-quality adult-child interactions. Challenges include selecting appropriate tools, training staff in their use, and embedding evaluation into daily practice without disrupting routines.
Challenges:
• Practice Exchange and Institutional Collaboration
There is a lack of structured cooperation between nurseries. We see the need for regular networking, experience exchange, and working groups that support peer learning and development.
• Workforce and Training
Nursery staff enter the profession with varying skill levels. It’s essential to equalize competencies, create individualized development paths, and design training based on real needs. The technical and logistical aspects of implementing training also pose challenges.
• Evaluation of Pedagogical Practice
There is a need for consistent and systematic evaluation of caregivers’ pedagogical work. Implementing regular, structured observation and feedback processes can support professional growth and ensure high-quality adult-child interactions. Challenges include selecting appropriate tools, training staff in their use, and embedding evaluation into daily practice without disrupting routines.
Find more
This city is looking for
Our city would benefit from expertise that strengthens the quality and consistency of early childhood education services. In particular, there is a need for support in building structured cooperation models between nurseries, including tools and methods for regular networking, peer learning, and institutional collaboration. Expertise in facilitating inter-organizational partnerships would be valuable to foster a culture of shared practice and continuous improvement. Additionally, due to varying qualification levels among nursery staff, we seek guidance in designing and implementing individualized, needs-based professional development pathways. Competency frameworks, adult learning strategies, and training delivery methods adapted to the specific context of early childhood care are especially needed. Finally, we aim to introduce systematic observation and evaluation of pedagogical practices, particularly focusing on the quality of adult-child interactions. Therefore, we would benefit from expertise in selecting appropriate assessment tools, training staff in their application, and embedding reflective practices into daily routines in a sustainable and non-disruptive way.
City size
Large city (500k to 1M inhabitants)
Author
Wiktoria Ziomko
Poland
Junior Clerk
City of Warsaw
