Early childhood education and care – a basis for lifelong learning

The day care centres for children provide a child with early childhood education and care according to the needs of families either full-time, part-time or part-weekly. The size of the groups of children varies according to the age and special needs of the children. 

Evening care is intended for children, who need regular care and treatment after 6pm due to the employment or vocational studying of the parents.

Shift care is intended for children, whose parents do regular shifts and the child’s care and treatment include staying overnight. Before starting a client relationship within early childhood education an agreement on this is to be concluded.

Family-based day care refers to early childhood education and care which is provided at the child minder’s home. 

Open early childhood education and care is an alternative type of activity for full-time or part-time early childhood education and care. A child’s participation in the activities of open early childhood education and care does not remove the right to the home care allowance granted by the Social Insurance Institution. 

The open day care centre for children, Taikareppu, provides services to the families with children based on applications in accordance with the local curriculum for early childhood education and care of the Kuusamo Town. 

In Kuusamo, there are three privately run day care centres for children, Kirsikka, UllaKaisa and the Luontopäiväkoti (nature-focused) Otso. These are day care centres for children with a service voucher, which the municipality has approved as its service providers. 

In the event that a place for early childhood education and care for the child is desired in the day care centre for children with a service voucher, a person who has custody of the child must apply for a place directly in this particular day care centre for children in question. When the child’s place in the day care centre for children has been confirmed, a person who has custody of the child can apply for a service voucher from the municipality. 

A place within early childhood education and care is usually applied for through the online service. The service within early childhood education and care can be applied for all the year round. It is important to submit the application on time. The authorities have a two-week arrangement period concerning those who are applying for a place within early childhood education and care due to work and studies; otherwise the arrangement period is four months. 

Online application for early childhood education and care is available here..

Before the start of early childhood education and care, the families have an opportunity to go and visit the early childhood education and care unit. This introductory period forms the basis for cooperation. Getting to know the unit begins when the Regional Director of Early Childhood Education and Care takes contact with a person who has custody of the child and deepens in the initial discussion with the teacher of the early childhood education and care group. The duration of the introductory period is to be agreed on together with the family. During the period, the families familiarise themselves with the place for early childhood education and care. 

Client fees charged for full-time early childhood education and care provided by the town are determined on the basis of the size of the family and the income of the parents on a percentage basis. The maximum fee charged for early childhood education and care is 288 euro. The fee for the family’s second child is at most 50% of the fee for the family’s youngest child, i.e. a maximum of 144 euro per month. The fee for the family’s next children (for every subsequent child) is 20% of the fee charged for the youngest child. When determining the fee charged for the second child or more children in the family, the imputed full-time early childhood education and care fee for the youngest child is to be used as a basis. The client fees charged for municipal early childhood education and care on the basis of the ability to pay in the family is to be determined for the time being. 

5% holiday pay will be added to gross monthly income. The fee will be charged not more than for 11 calendar months during the whole year of activity (1st of August–31st of July). For example, in the event that the child starts in early childhood education and care in September, there will not be any July month free of charge during the current year of activity. The family is responsible for submitting income information in writing when the client relationship within early childhood education and care begins, the need for services changes or income in the family change at least +/−10%. In addition, any changes in the size of the family are to be notified without delay. 

The client is obliged to notify without delay of any changes in the size and income of the family or in services within early childhood education and care. 

Income information is to be submitted to the Early Childhood Education and Care Office from the beginning of the client relationship or in case of any changes by 3pm on the 11th of the following month. In the event that the family will not submit the Form for income information with its appendices within the set period of time, the highest fee will be charged for each child in the family attending early childhood education and care and the fee determined will not be revised retrospectively. The income information submitted after the set period of time shall be taken into consideration from the beginning of the month the information was submitted.