Student work placements and research permits
Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) and basic education units provide opportunities for work-based learning and supervised work placements for students from universities, universities of applied sciences, and upper secondary education. Student placements and work-based learning are based on agreements between educational institutions and ECEC providers.
Work placement
Finding a placement
Students should find a suitable placement well in advance of the start of their work placement period, either independently or with the assistance of their supervising teacher, ensuring it aligns with the goals of the specific placement. The supervising teacher ensures that the student has sufficient knowledge and skills required for the placement.
Once the work placement or work-based learning location is confirmed, the student should agree on the practical details of the placement with the unit’s supervisor.
During the work placement
A responsible supervisor will be assigned to the student for the duration of the placement period, but other staff members will also provide support and guidance as needed.
Students have the right
- to be members of the work community
- to receive an induction to the unit’s work and tasks
- to participate in the unit’s activities
- to receive feedback on their performance during the placement
- to give feedback on the work tasks, the dynamics of the work community, and the supervision they received during the placement.
Students are required
- to be active
- to learn the tasks related to the work placement in accordance with their level of study and the goals of the placement, and to take part in model meals with the children if this is included in the placement objectives
- to behave appropriately and observe good manners
- to take an active part in the group’s activities and complete the tasks required by their studies
- to learn how to receive feedback
- to follow the agreed working hours and rest periods
- to adhere to workplace rules regarding dress and hygiene codes, personal mobile phone use, and the smoke-free workplace policy
- to learn to work collaboratively with different staff groups.
At the end of the work placement
The placement ends with a feedback discussion, which usually/always involves the student’s teacher, in addition to the student and the work placement supervisor. The discussion includes both verbal and written feedback. The teacher is responsible for the overall evaluation in collaboration with the supervisor. A successful outcome is influenced by open and continuous collaboration and interaction between the supervisor, teacher, and student.
Research permit
A research permit is required for all studies, development projects, and theses that collect or process data related to the clients or staff of Vaasa’s Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) or basic education, regardless of the data collection method (e.g., registry data, interviews, surveys).
A research permit for a single unit should be requested from the unit’s head (i.e., director of the ECEC unit, family daycare supervisor, or principal). For studies involving multiple units, the permit is granted by the Director of Early Childhood Education and Care or the Head of Education Department, depending on the research topic. The application should include the research plan, as well as any survey forms or interview questions. Before submitting the application, students are advised to seek preliminary consent for their research from the unit’s head.
Download the research permit application (Finnish) form from this link.
Please allow a few weeks for the processing of the application. Data collection may begin only after the research permit has been granted.
For studies involving private ECEC units or educational institutions, a research permit must be obtained from the unit in question.
If the study involves children, the researcher must ensure that written consent is obtained from the guardians for their children’s participation. The researcher should coordinate the procedure with the unit’s contact person.
Applications can be submitted either by mail or email.
Duty of confidentiality and non-disclosure
Everyone working in early childhood education and care (ECEC), including those on work placement or conducting research, must comply with the legal duty of confidentiality and handle personal data in accordance with the law.
Information about children or their families must not be disclosed or shared outside the work community.
The duty of confidentiality extends not only to confidential documents but also to information shared orally by clients, patients, or staff members. Further, students on work placement or work-based learners do not have the right to view or handle information that is unrelated to their placement. The duty of confidentiality also applies to matters related to the employer, the work community, and the staff.
Even when acting as a private individual, the student is bound by the obligation of loyalty, meaning they must speak about the placement, clients, and the work community in a professional manner. For example, it is prohibited to publish or share on social media images in which the children from the placement can be identified.
It is important to remember that the duty of confidentiality and non-disclosure remains in effect even after the placement or work-based learning has ended. Breaching confidentiality or mishandling personal data in violation of the law may result in legal action.