How do children develop the prerequisites for a successful start to school? And how can families and educational institutions support them in this? On October 27 and 28, 2026, scientists, practitioners, and policymakers discussed child development and the design of the transition from kindergarten to primary school at the conference of the Bremen Initiative for Strengthening Early Childhood Development (Brise) in Bremen.
Dr. Claudia Schilling, Senator for Labor, Social Affairs, Youth and Integration, emphasizes: “Families need support that is relevant to their daily lives and goes beyond individual programs. The Brise project demonstrated this to us, and it was this motivation that led to the creation of the prevention network in Bremen. With this network, we are strengthening the collaboration between daycare centers, schools, and other local stakeholders. We want transitions to be smooth and for families to receive reliable support. Crucially, we need to work together to understand the needs of families and design our services to fit their realities.”
A key instrument for supporting families early on and promoting transitions to daycare and school
The Senator for Children and Education, Mark Rackles, emphasizes: “For ten years now, the Brise project, unique in Germany, has been providing Bremen with data on early childhood development, offering valuable insights for education, social, and health policy. Initial findings indicate how interdepartmental cooperation can lower barriers to access in early childhood education and establish effective prevention pathways. Brise is a key instrument in Bremen for providing effective early support to families and targeted support for children during the transitions between kindergarten and school.”.
The transition from kindergarten to primary school is a crucial step in a child's life. For this transition to be successful, children need various prerequisites: these include linguistic and cognitive abilities as well as self-regulation, motor skills, and socio-emotional competencies. How these abilities develop, how potential difficulties can be identified early on, and how children can be supported on their path to school will be the focus of the Brise conference 2026 at the House of Science in Bremen.
How can we ensure a successful start to school and a healthy mathematical education?
In his presentation, Prof. Dr. Marcus Hasselhorn from the DIPF | Leibniz Institute for Educational Research and Educational Information will highlight the competencies children need for a successful start to school and how developmental delays can be identified and addressed early on. Prof. Dr. Dagmar Bönig from the University of Bremen will demonstrate how mathematical education in early childhood education can be designed to be child-friendly and linked to primary school learning in such a way that children can build upon their existing experiences and skills.
In addition to the individual developmental needs of children, the conference also addresses the role of their environment. Various presentations will focus on topics such as supporting families and, in particular, the collaboration between daycare centers and primary schools.
Over the two days, the conference brings together current research on early childhood development with experiences from educational practice and policy. The aim is to exchange insights into how children can be supported early on and best guided through the transition to school.
About the project: How early support has a long-term impact
The Brise project aims to investigate the long-term impact of early childhood education and support measures. Since its inception, the research consortium has been following more than 400 families to understand how children can best be supported under diverse living conditions – from early childhood through school age. Within the framework of a longitudinal intervention study, the consortium is examining how different interventions complement each other and what cumulative effects they have on early childhood development.
For ten years, the Federal Ministry of Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth has been funding the research work of the Brise network coordinated at the Leibniz Institute for Science and Mathematics Education (IPN). Together with the City of Bremen and the Jacobs Foundation, the IPN organizes the Brise conferences. These conferences strengthen the exchange between research, policy, and practice and aim to make scientific findings usable for greater educational equity.
Source: Brise Conference: How to ensure a successful start to the school year? – Senate Press Office, 28.10.2026
