Private Family Day Care

Families may also choose private family day care, and apply for private day care allowance from Kela.

The person providing private family day care must be approved by the municipality. Private family day care providers operate according to the same laws and regulations than municipal family day care providers. The municipality will also supervise, guide and cooperate with private family day care providers.

To whom and on what terms

Persons providing private family day care choose the children in their groups themselves.

Early childhood education may be given to a child who has not reached the age of compulsory education.

Day care may also be given to a child who has already reached the age of compulsory education, if special circumstances so require and care cannot be otherwise arranged.

The child’s parents conclude a contract on the care services and the fees charged for it with the private family day carer. The family may apply to Kela for private day care allowance.

Private family day care is subject to a charge, and the amounts charged are determined by the caretakers themselves.

Basic information and legislation

The parents may apply for a place in private family day care for their child. Private family day carers are entrepreneurs who organise early childhood education, usually in their own homes. The group may include four children needing full-time care and one needing part-time care who is in pre-primary education or school age. The carer’s own under school-age children are included in this number. Private family day carers are supervised by authorities.