Early childhood education and care does not form a single or uniform system in Poland. It is based on two systems: the childcare system supervised by the Ministry of Family and Social Policy and the pre-primary education system that falls under the responsibility of the Ministry of Education and Science.

• For children aged 0–3 years, centre-based childcare is provided in crèches (żłobki) and, since 2011, kids’ clubs (kluby dziecięce), and home-based childcare is provided by daycare providers (opiekun dzienny) / childminders and nannies (niania).
• For children aged 3 years to 6/7 years, preschool education (International Standard Classification of Education level 020) is provided in nursery schools (przedszkole), preschool classes (oddziały przedszkolne) in primary schools and other preschool education settings, including preschool education units (zespół wychowania przedszkolnego) and preschool education centres (punkt przedszkolny).

Centre-based crèches and home-based provision (daycare providers / childminders and nannies) provide care for children aged at least 20 weeks, whereas kids’ clubs cater for children aged 1 year and above.

Preschool education is available for children from the beginning of the school year in the calendar year when they reach the age of 3 years until the end of the school year in the calendar year when they reach the age of 7 years, when primary education starts. In exceptional cases, a child aged 2.5 years may participate in preschool education.

Since September 2017, it has been compulsory for 6-year-old children to attend 1 year of pre-primary education, pursuant to the Act of 14 December 2016, Law on School Education (Ustawa z dnia 14 grudnia 2016 r. – Prawo oświatowe). Every child from the age of 3 years is guaranteed a place in preschool education. For 5-year-olds, the legislation guarantees the right to a preschool preparatory year in a nursery school, or a preschool class in the primary school or another preschool setting, including a preschool education unit or centre; this came into effect on 1 September 2009. The legislation has guaranteed the right to preschool education for 4-year-old children since 1 September 2015 and for 3-year-old children since 1 September 2017.