Admission requirements and choice of ECEC setting
Children may attend crèches or home-based provision when they are aged at least 20 weeks, and kids’ clubs when they are aged at least 1 year. Children can attend those settings until the end of the school year in which they reach the age of 3 years or up to the age of 4 years in cases where it is not possible or difficult for the child to participate in preschool education.
The Act of 4 February 2011 on the care of children aged up to 3 years (Ustawa o opiece nad dziećmi do lat 3) does not specify conditions, except for age (see above), for enrolling children in crèches (żłobek), kids’ clubs (klub dziecięcy) or daycare provider (opiekun dzienny) settings (home-based provision).
An entity that has established a crèche or kids’ club adopts its own statutes, which lay down admissions criteria or conditions, including giving priority to large families with many children and to children with disabilities. The statutes also specify admission priorities for a crèche or kids’ club. These can include, for example, the following:
- a single parent’s child
- a child from a large family
- a child with a disability certificate
- a child from a foster family
- a child of parents with disabilities.
Compliance with compulsory childhood vaccinations are an additional criterion in some communes.
Priority in admission to a crèche is given to children of working parents who live within the territory of a given commune. Owing to the limited number of available places, crèches and kids’ clubs give priority to children of working parents and, for example, children whose parents are returning to the labour market after maternity/parental leave, are unemployed or are economically inactive. As the network of institutions is relatively small, parents do not have a wide range of options available. They might have no choice other than to apply for a place in a crèche or kids’ club located far from their home.
Group size and child–staff ratios
The maximum number of children cared for by one childminder in a crèche or kids’ club is eight. However, the maximum number is five when a group includes a child with a disability, a child requiring special care or a child under 1 year of age.
Crèches with more than 20 children employ at least one nurse or midwife. Crèches and kids’ clubs may have volunteers supporting the provision of childcare. Volunteers who do not have the necessary qualifications are required to complete 40 hours of training in baby/child first aid.
Annual, weekly and daily organisation
The Act of 4 February 2011 on the care of children aged up to 3 years (Ustawa o opiece nad dziećmi do lat 3) does not specify the number of working hours per week for childcare institutions.
Working hours in crèches and kids’ clubs are determined by their organisational regulations, taking into account parents’ preferences. Crèches and kids’ clubs provide care for up to 10 hours per day. In special cases, at parental request, the duration of the stay can be extended for an additional fee. For a daycare provider (home-based provision), working hours are set in an agreement between the provider and the employing entity.