Who we are

THE WAYENBERG CRÈCHE

The Wayenberg crèche is managed by the Directorate-General for Personnel (DG PERS) with the assistance of the Directorate-General for Infrastructure and Logistics (DG INLO), who deal with building maintenance issues, and the Directorate-General for Security and Safety (DG SAFE), who take care of security matters and risk prevention.

You can contact the Wayenberg crèche here: ‘Crèches Service Brussels’. This service also runs in-person office hours several days a week, which are available to parents by appointment.

The day-to-day running of the crèche and the supervision of the children have been entrusted to an external company specialised in early childhood education. The building houses children in different sections according to age.

The crèche can welcome up to 290 children and an average of 250 children attend daily, split across 18 groups:

7 groups for children aged from 3 to 18 months (babies section),
7 groups for children aged between 19 and 36 months (middle section),
4 groups for children aged between 37 and 48 months (nursery section).

Each group is supervised by three crèche or nursery teachers, who may be assisted by additional support staff if necessary. The staff’s schedules and group allocations are adapted to the daily needs of the children.

A ‘family room’ is also available to provide occasional childcare should an urgent need arise.

CAREGIVING STAFF

The contractor ensures that a member of the management team, which is made up of a director and a deputy director, will always be present. The management team is also assisted by an administrative secretariat.

Two educators are responsible for monitoring the implementation of the educational programme, the activities offered to children, equipment needs and the organisation of outings.

The teaching staff are qualified crèche or nursery teachers and have at least three years of professional experience.

An English teacher is on hand five days a week to introduce the language to the children through games.

Lastly, the crèche regularly invites external specialists to run creative workshops, including musical and artistic activities.

AN INCLUSIVE CRÈCHE

The Wayenberg crèche welcomes children with special needs and makes arrangements to meet those needs.

A child with a disability recognised by Parliament’s Medical Service may be given additional support to facilitate their integration into the group.

THE MEDICAL TEAM

The Wayenberg crèche has a medical team which is made up of the following:

Paediatrician

The paediatrician is on hand three mornings a week (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays). Her role is to ensure the health of the crèche as a whole and to monitor the development and special needs of each child.

The crèche paediatrician cannot replace the child’s regular paediatrician and is unable to provide parents with medical prescriptions or sick leave certificates.

She checks the children’s health before they enter the crèche, including whether they have received the necessary vaccinations, and issues them with a certificate granting them access to the crèche;
She monitors the children’s health for the duration of their stay, in accordance with the requirements of the Office de la Naissance et de l’Enfance (ONE);
She takes the necessary steps to protect the group (removing a child in the event of a contagious illness, precautionary measures in the event of widespread infection, etc.);
She verifies and authorises the medication which is administered to the children by the nurses;
She liaises with internal staff: the nurses, the dietician and the psychomotor therapist;
She liaises with health professionals outside of the crèche, including the children’s regular paediatricians;
She liaises with the European Parliament’s Medical Service;
She checks that the management staff are trained properly (making sure that they are familiar with emergency procedures, etc.);
She signs off on special dietary requirements, which must be based on a prescription written by the child’s regular paediatrician;
She checks that everything (room layout, toys, garden) complies with safety regulations;
She advises parents on medical matters, by appointment.

Nurses

The Wayenberg crèche ensures that at least one nurse is on hand at all times during opening hours.

Nurses work under the medical authority of the paediatrician. There are currently three nurses at the crèche. They:

assist the paediatrician in carrying out the children’s regular check-ups;
check the hygiene and safety of the crèche;
help train the crèche teachers in health and safety;
provide regular care for children;
administer first aid in the event of an accident;
carry out administrative tasks relating to the children’s health;
inform parents of any difficulties encountered while the child is at the crèche (accident, removal decision, etc.);
give advice to parents and staff.

OTHER STAFF

Dietician

The dietician meets the parents before their child joins the Wayenberg crèche and explains the crèche’s food policy, including the limitations that come with planning meals for a larger group.

She plans the menus;
She assists the chef in selecting ingredients;
She checks the nutritional balance of the meals, on a daily and longer-term basis, adapting them to the different age groups;
She makes sure that the meal plans are varied over the course of the children’s time at the crèche;
She monitors the daily meals and checks each special meal individually, particularly with regard to the known allergies;
She gives advice to parents.

The kitchen staff, who are managed by the external company, have the skills required to prepare meals on a daily basis from fresh produce, which is essential for growth and the development of children’s taste.

Psychomotor therapist

Group psychomotor therapy sessions are organised every week under the supervision of a psychomotor therapist.

During these sessions, the therapist monitors the psychomotor development of each child;
She works with the paediatrician and reports back to her on any difficulties that the children may be having;
She does not provide individual sessions.

Last updated: 6 October 2023