Baby's Day-Care
General information | The pedagogical program | The assistance program
A person’s formative years affect her/his future and the future of society. Therefore, the quality of education during these years is extremely important. Every child has a right to a safe place and optimal development, regardless of religion, race, sex, and civil status
General information
Establishment
Lasova’ established the Gan Salame and Gan Neve Sha’anan preschool daycares in 2017 and 2019, respectively, for infants and toddlers of asylum-seekers from Eritrea residing in South Tel Aviv. Around 290 infants and toddlers attend the daycares on a daily basis.
The establishment of these institutions complied with the Israeli government’s 2015 resolution to establish and operate supervised, regulated, and safe daycares as an alternative to the pirate centers (also known as “babysitters” and “children’s warehouses) that operate in South Tel Aviv and which endangered the lives of the children. Lasova preschool daycares are supported by the State of Israel and the Tel Aviv Municipality.
Aim
To provide a spacious and bright daycare to children of asylum-seekers from Africa and guarantee a safe, healthy, and nurturing environment for babies and toddlers.
Address and buildings
Salame center – 142 Nahalat Binyamin (next to Salame Street), Tel Aviv. Neve Sha’anan centers – one in 107 Levinsky, the second in 95 Levinsky, Tel Aviv. The buildings were rented and renovated by the Tel Aviv Municipality to accommodate for the needs of preschool children.
The target audience
Infants and toddlers aged 3 months to 3 years from refugee communities in South Tel Aviv. The daycares are open to any infant or toddler if neither parent has an Israeli ID card. Admission is on a first-come first-serve basis, with no selection. There are 120 children at the Salame daycare and 170 children at the Neve Sha’anan daycare.
Number of classes
In 2020-21, each daycare had 4 classes for ages 3 months – 1 year (infants), ages 1 -2 years (toddlers), and ages 2 – 3 years (older toddlers).
Regulations and schedule
The daycares operate according to the regulatory requirements applicable to preschool daycares (with regard to the maximum/minimum number of children, number of caregivers, training, hygiene, menu, daily routine, etc.). The daycares operate 6 days a week, all year long. The daycares are in the process of registration with the Ministry of Labor and Social Services.
Parental costs
800 NIS per month. An internal subsidy committee is authorized to approve subsidies for limited periods.
Budget
Lasova receives a budget for the daycares from the Tel Aviv Municipality.
Food
The daycares serve 4 fresh meals per day, which are prepared on site in the daycare kitchen, according to a rich, nutritious, and balanced menu.
Staff
Both daycares have a manager, and each daycare has a pedagogic instructor, a social worker, and a cook. The classes are run by caregivers, who are migrant workers and asylum-seekers. The number of caregivers is adjusted according to the number of children in the classes.
We work hard to create mutual support among the staff members, created via a shared process of learning, helping each other, professional, individual and group development, team building activities, and exposure to the staff members’ diverse cultures.
Volunteers
Lasova volunteers assist the staff in the daycares.
General information | The pedagogical program | The assistance program
Childhood is the most significant period in a person’s development.
From the moment of birth, every person is entitled to an education and care
in a safe and supportive environment that creates an opportunity for learning.
The pedagogical program
The educational curriculum is intended to address the children’s developmental needs. The emphasis is on the importance of getting to know the child, creating a safe, rich, and pleasant educational environment that matches the children’s development. The caregivers receive counselling and instruction throughout the year from educational instructors who specialize in the preschool age and who work to strengthen the team and the staff. Learning is by creating experiences and games, exploration, and in encounters with the other children and the staff. Attention is given to all the developmental aspects - cognitive, language, social, emotional, and motor. Inside the classroom the children work in small groups, which guarantees that every child is given individual attention and an opportunity to express herself or himself. The children learn about Israeli culture as well as the cultures of the children and the staff members and their heritage with regards to language, holidays, songs, etc. Each child’s preferences are taken into account. Throughout the year, their needs are mapped, and an intervention plan is developed. Annual topic - the Hebrew language - to develop language skills for the staff and the children through songs, stories, and games, and in combination with the “Or” [light] program to strengthen the children’s language and communication skills.
General information | The pedagogical program | The assistance program
Every person (citizen / resident / lacking status) is entitled to lead a dignified life
Every person is entitled to be seen and heard with empathy, to be understood and to be given help to improve their situation.
The assistance program
Overview
Assistance to families is given with respect, transparency, and without judgement.
One of the main aims is to give hope and motivation to improve and strengthen the parents’ abilities to cope with parenting and with social difficulties.
Each daycare has a social worker to perform all the following tasks:
- Identify situations of risk and danger.
- Provide solutions for the staff and children’s families – exercising rights, finding solutions to problems and needs, discounts, food baskets, purchase vouchers, clothing, equipment, furniture, toys, and games, etc.
- Listening, giving advice, guiding and instructing parents and staff members.
- Mediation and advocacy vis-a-vis community, education, and medical services.
- Focusing on the children and families at risk and on children with special needs.
During the COVID-19 pandemic
Families of both daycares were forced to cope with losing their jobs, crowded living conditions, and being evicted from rental apartments, all without any social rights (such as unemployment pay and benefits, etc.). Lasova together with another NGO – Mesila – stepped in and provided support, stability, connection, and hope for families during these tough times.
In 2020, over 50% of the families were given tuition fee discounts (already subsidized). We gave the families and staff food vouchers, food baskets and basic necessities (such as clothing, diapers, breastmilk substitute formula, toys, and games). The daycare staff received two significant sums to help with their rent payments.
