Early childhood education.

A good start is important for young children. Early childhood education helps toddlers who need extra support, for example with language. But how does it work, and what can you do as a parent?

What is early childhood education and why is it important?

Early childhood education is for children from 2.5 to 4 years old who risk falling behind. In a toddler daycare or preschool, they get extra attention for language, math, and social skills. Municipalities must arrange enough places for early childhood education and make sure parents have easy access. In practice, many parents do not know early childhood education exists or how to register. Sometimes there are barriers, like complicated forms or few places.

Municipalities decide which children can join, following the rules set by the national government. How they do this can differ per municipality. They look at, for example, the language parents speak at home or how the child’s language develops.

Registration for early childhood education usually goes through the child health clinic. They check if a child qualifies. Early childhood education is different from an integral child center. At an integral child center, school and daycare are under one roof.

More about integral child centers