Admission requirements and choice of ECEC setting

The Act on Children's Group distinguishes two types of children´s groups (dětská skupina). Only children of the provider's employees or children of employees of another employer based on the agreement between employers are admitted to the first type of children´s group. If the provider is an institute, a church or denomination, a region, a municipality or a legal entity established by it, a public benefit corporation, a foundation or endowment fund, a higher education institution, an association, a public research institution, and a childminder, all children can attend the children´s group. As part of the verification of the quality of care based on the standards set by the Decree on Implementing Certain Provisions of the Act on Providing Childcare in a Children´s Group, the procedure for adapting a child to a children´s group is assessed.

Criteria for admission into the childcare facilities for children under 3 years of age (zařízení pro péči o děti do 3 let) are set by the provider.

According to the Act on Protection of Public Health, the legal guardian of the children accepted to children's groups as well as to childcare facilities for children under 3 years of age must show that the child has undergone prescribed regular vaccinations or that he/she cannot be vaccinated due to permanent contraindication.

Group size and child/staff ratios

In the children's group (dětská skupina) the maximum number of children per group is 24. The Act on Children's Group stipulates following rules:

• in bigger group from 13 to 24 children – at least 3 persons per group

• in bigger group from 7 to 12 children – at least 2 persons per group

• in small group up to 6 children – at least 1 person per group

• if the provider is a childminder – maximum of 4 children in a group, including his/her own children

• children from 6 to 12 months – always cared for only in a group of up to 4 children under 4 years of age

When determining the number of childminders, the provider is obliged to take into account the health status of children, the length of stay of children in the children's group and the age of children, especially the number of children under 2 years of age.

All care persons have to have an imposed qualification in the area of health or social care or education, the minimum requirement being ISCED level 3.

Childcare facilities for children under 3 years of age (zařízení pro péči o děti do 3 let) can admit children from their birth. The groups are homogeneous as well as heterogeneous in the terms of age. Neither the number of children per group nor the number of children per staff member is stipulated by Trade Licensing Act. All persons caring for children have to have a qualification in the area of health or social care, specified by the law, generally a minimum of ISCED level 3.

Annual, weekly and daily organisation

In the children´s groups (dětské skupiny), the annual organisation is completely the responsibility of the provider. According to the Act on Children's Group, the children's group should provide regular care and enable the attendance of children for at least 6 hours a day. The specific timetable can be included in the rules of organisation and in the programme of education and care. The timing of the services has to be agreed in the contract between parents and the provider. The Decree on Implementing Certain Provisions of the Act on Providing Childcare in a Children´s Group within the standards for quality of care stipulates that part of the day should be reserved for a stay outside. This decree also stipulates some other operating conditions for children's groups of up to 12 children. Larger groups are covered by the Decree on Sanitary Standards in Institutions and Facilities for Education of Children and Youth, which stipulates that the daily period of stay outdoors is generally 2 hours in the morning (with some exceptions), while in the afternoon it depends on the duration of child´s stay in the facility.

Outside the opening hours of the children's group, the premises may also be used for other activities, provided that the legal requirements are complied with. If meals are provided, the relevant nutritional standards must be observed, which are given for children under 3 years of age by the Decree on Implementing Certain Provisions of the Act on Providing Childcare in a Children´s Group, and for older children by the Decree on School Catering. Children from 6 to 12 months are always catered for by a parent.

In the childcare facilities for children under 3 years of age (zařízení pro péči o děti do 3 let), the annual, weekly and daily organisation is the responsibility of the provider, more precisely it depends on the agreement with parents. The facilities usually operate throughout the year, including the summer months, and offer regular care from several hours a day to whole day and also a short time babysitting or babysitting in families. The Government Regulation on the Contents of Individual Trades only stipulates that the content of the care has among others to assure a stay outside, boarding and sleeping in an appropriate hygienic environment. The above-mentioned Decree on Sanitary Standards in Institutions and Facilities for Education of Children and Youth, stipulating the details on the daily stay outdoors, applies also to childcare facilities for children under 3 years of age.