Childcare at the Children Center in South Africa

Your assignment location and the goals of your project work in Cape Town
At our Cape Town location, there are several Children Centers that look after children from the area and surrounding townships. The children are between several months and 7 years old. Some of them have physical or mental disabilities. Most of the children who attend the daycare centers receive no other individual support and very little attention. They therefore require special attention and care.
The aim is to improve the care and education on offer, provide disadvantaged children with comprehensive early education and make social spaces accessible for healthy development.

Your tasks at the daycare center
The children in our Children Centers are usually divided into groups or classes according to age. There are up to 40 children or even more per class. There is usually a crèche where babies and toddlers are looked after and a pre-school where the three to five-year-olds are taught together. There may be another class for children aged between six and seven, which you and the teaching staff gradually prepare for admission to a state school.

Depending on the age group of the children, you will help with changing diapers, feeding, playing with the children, preparing lessons and teaching the older children reading, writing, arithmetic and social skills. You can also educate the older children about topics such as health and hygiene. Show initiative and ask where the caregivers and teachers need your help.

Your daily routine at the Children’s Center
Your working day starts Monday to Friday between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. and you stay at your place of work until around 3:30 p.m.. In the morning, you will usually be assigned to a group for which you are responsible that day. However, depending on requirements, you may always be assigned to the same group. From 12-14 o'clock is usually lunch time. The younger children take an afternoon nap. You are entitled to a lunch break during this time. You wake the children up at around 2 pm. They are given something to eat and can then play. Around 3:30 p.m. they are picked up by their parents or take the bus home.