Objectives and accessibility
Children aged up to 3 years
In addition to childcare provided by crèches and kids’ clubs, home-based provision is also available, although it is not very widespread. Home-based care is provided by either daycare providers (opiekun dzienny) / childminders or nannies (niania). As is the case for crèches and kids’ clubs, home-based provision is supervised by the Ministry of Family and Social Policy.
A daycare provider (opiekun dzienny) or childminder is a natural person employed by the commune (lowest-level local government unit) or a self-employed person. Where a commune is the employer, it covers the costs of the daycare provider’s civil liability insurance.
Childcare is provided at home, and, compared with centre-based settings, the length of time that care is provided for can be more effectively adjusted to the parents’ working hours.
Daycare provider services are a childcare setting for a small number of children. Such services enable the provision of institutional care, particularly in small rural communes where a crèche or kids’ club is not needed because of the small number of crèche-aged children.
The main responsibilities of a daycare provider include:
- providing care to children in home-like conditions;
- providing children with proper care and educational support according to their individual needs;
- conducting care and educational activities suitable for the level of children’s psychological and physical development and their age.
A daycare provider cooperates and communicates with the parents of the children in care, particularly by providing them with information, guidance and advice. Daycare providers may be supported by parents in childcare activities.
Daycare providers should have suitable premises that ensure safe conditions for children. The commune can provide or furnish premises for daycare providers. The commune council determines the maximum level of, and the rules for calculating, salaries for daycare providers.
A nanny (niania) is a natural person employed on the basis of a written contract for home-based provision agreed with the parents of a child aged at least 20 weeks. Social security and health insurance contributions for nannies are paid partly by the Social Insurance Institution (for an amount equal to the national minimum wage) and partly by the child’s parents (for an amount above the national minimum wage).
Nannies can be hired only if both parents work (or the lone parent works) and the child is aged up to 3 years (or up to 4 years only in exceptional cases specified in the legislation).
Children aged 3–6 years
Individualised learning programme and home education
The individualised learning option is available to 6-year-old children – that is, children required to complete a preschool preparatory year – who, owing to their health problems, may follow an individualised learning programme at home on the basis of a certificate from a counselling and guidance centre. Home-based classes/activities are conducted for 4–6 hours or more per week in accordance with the Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 9 September 2014 on the procedures for the organisation of individualised 1-year compulsory preschool preparatory classes and individual tuition for children and youth (amendment dated 9 August 2017) (Rozporządzenie Ministra Edukacji Narodowej z dnia 9 sierpnia 2017 r.)
An individualised preschool preparatory year is organised in the form of classes/activities conducted by one or two teachers in direct contact with the pupil. The classes/activities take place in the child’s place of residence, in particular at home or in an education and care institution, or in a nursery school if the child’s health allows him or her to attend.
At the parents’ request, the head of a public or non-public nursery school where the child is enrolled may allow the child to complete the compulsory preschool preparation year outside of a nursery school, preschool class or another preschool education setting. This is commonly referred to as ‘home education’. Home education can be provided only to a child undertaking the compulsory preschool preparatory year (i.e. a 6-year-old child).
Permission for home education may be granted if the request is accompanied by:
- a certificate from a public counselling and guidance centre;
- a statement from the parents that they provide conditions for the child to follow the core curriculum for preschool education.
Requirements for childminders and child ratios
Children aged up to 3 years
Pursuant to the Act of 4 February 2011 on the care of children up to the age of 3 years (Ustawa o opiece nad dziećmi do lat 3), a daycare provider (opiekun dzienny) or childminder takes care of children aged 20 weeks and above. Daycare providers may care for a maximum of five children. However, the maximum number is three when the group includes a child who is under the age of 1 year, is disabled or requires special care. With all parents’ consent, a daycare provider may care for up to eight children. For a group that includes a child who has not reached the age of 1 year, is disabled or requires special care, the maximum number of children is five if at least one of the parents takes care of children jointly with a daycare provider.
Daycare providers should have the same qualifications as those required for working in crèches or otherwise provide guarantees for proper childcare. The requirements for the daycare provider role are, likewise, laid down in the abovementioned act. Daycare providers should have completed early childhood education and care-specific training of 160 hours in baby/child first aid. The number of hours of specific training may be reduced to 40 for childminders with certain qualifications (e.g. nursing, child psychology and social care). The training (either 160 hours or 40 hours) should have been completed not earlier than 2 years before taking up the job of daycare provider.
Such training is not compulsory for individuals who have:
- worked with children aged up to 3 years for at least 12 months directly before taking up the job of daycare provider; or
- completed a course in baby/child first aid no more than 2 years before taking up the job of daycare provider.
Daycare providers are required to complete training in baby/child first aid every 2 years.
The abovementioned act does not lay down any formal qualification requirements for nannies (niania). Neither does it refer to the number of children who a nanny may care for. The number of children in care is specified in a contract agreed between parents (or a lone parent) and a nanny.
At the end of 2018, around 7 000 individuals employed as nannies were registered in the national social security system. An overwhelming majority (around 97 %) were women. The data show that the demand for services offered by nannies has declined slightly. This may have been influenced by the government programme ‘family 500+’. Some mothers chose to stay at home and look after their children rather than using external services.
Children aged 3–6 years
The school education legislation does not limit the number of children participating in home education. It does not specify any qualifications that parents should have to provide home education. Parents are required only to submit a statement that they will provide conditions for the child to follow the national core curriculum for preschool education.