Award recognizes commitment to early language development and educational opportunities
Five daycare centers from the city of Darmstadt and the Darmstadt-Dieburg district were awarded the KiSS seal The seal recognizes outstanding and long-term achievements in early language development for children.
The KiSS program (Child Language Screening) is a scientifically evaluated and standardized procedure used to assess the language skills of four- to four-and-a-half-year-old children in Hessian daycare centers. Its aim is to identify language deficits early and initiate targeted support measures to sustainably strengthen educational opportunities and social participation
Joint commitment to early education
The project is funded jointly by the Hessian Ministry for Family, Sport, Health and Care and the Hessian Ministry for Labor, Integration, Youth and Social Affairs . The Hessian Child Welfare Center (HKVZ) at Frankfurt University Hospital is the lead agency. Language experts from the Darmstadt-Dieburg Public Health Department train and support the KiSS educators who conduct the language assessments on site.
“With the KiSS seal, we recognize the great commitment of our daycare centers and their educators to early language development,” emphasized Christel Sprößler, Head of Social and Youth Services for the Darmstadt-Dieburg district and Deputy Chair of the Public Health Department. “Language is the key to educational opportunities and participation – and that’s why it’s so important to support children even before they start school.”
André Schellenberg , head of the public health department, also emphasized the importance of the program: “With KiSS, we are creating a bridge between education, health, and family. The fact that speech disorders can be identified early and specifically supported is a great benefit for the development of children.”
Excellent facilities in the city and district
The following institutions were honored during a ceremony:
- Ackermann Municipal Daycare Center, Ober-Ramstadt
- Protestant Daycare Center, Nieder-Beerbach
- SGA Sport-Kita, Darmstadt-Arheilgen
- Sunflower Kindergarten, Brandau
- Rasp-Nuri-Haus municipal daycare center, Darmstadt
The KiSS project will continue in Darmstadt and the Darmstadt-Dieburg. Early childhood educators can still receive free training and certification to become KiSS educators.
Further information is available at www.gesundheitsamt-dadi.de/kinder-und-jugendliche/kiss
