Pre-school

Pre-school is the collective name for 3 types of activity available to children who have not yet started school (the pre-school class or compulsory school):

• pre-school
• pedagogical care
• open pre-school

Pre-schools, like childcare for schoolchildren, have twin tasks. They are to help provide an environment that stimulates children's development and learning, and enable parents to combine parenthood with work or studies.

Municipalities are obliged to provide pre-school or family day-care homes to children aged from one year and up

• when their parents are working or pursuing studies
• when their parents are unemployed or on parental leave. A place is to be made available to each child for at least 3 hours a day or 15 hours a week.

The open pre-school is for children who are not registered at a pre-school. A parent or another adult accompanies the child. Open pre-school can also function as a supplement to pedagogical care.