ABCs of Early Childhood Education and Care

The goals of early childhood education and care 

• To promote the appropriate growth, development, health and well-being of every child 

• To support the necessities of the child’s learning, promote lifelong learning and the realization of educational equality 

• To implement versatile pedagogical activities based in play, art of exercise and cultural heritage and make positive learning experiences possible 

• To ensure an education and care environment that is instructive, encourages learning, healthy and safe 

• To secure methods that respect the child and lasting interaction between children and the daycare staff 

• To offer every child equal possibility to receive early childhood education and care, promote gender equality and prepare the child to understand and respect cultural heritage and everyone’s language, culture, religion and beliefs 

• To recognize the child’s individual care need and arrange purposeful support in diverse cooperation when the need arises 

• To develop the child’s collaboration and interaction skills, promote the child’s activity in peer groups, as well as guide the child towards ethical, responsible and sustainable action, respecting others and participation in society 

• To ensure the child’s possibility to participate and influence in matters concerning them 

• To work together with the child and the guardian for the best of the child’s balanced development and comprehensive health as well as to support the guardian in the child’s upbringing 

When early childhood education and care starts

When the child receives a daycare place, we recommend that you get familiar with the daycare group with your child. Familiarization is important to make sure the child feels connected to the group and building trust. The familiarization is the basis of the cooperation between the daycare centre and the guardian. The daycare centre will contact you about starting early childhood education and care and about scheduling the familiarization.

The younger the child, the more important it is to reserve a lot of time for the familiarization. The familiarization period will last from a couple of days up to two weeks. During the period, the child may visit the daycare group multiple times with the guardian and practice acting in a group.

Starting discussion

A starting discussion is held with the guardian before staring early childhood education and care. In the discussion, we want to hear about your child and your wishes regarding the care. The starting discussion form is used to support the discussion.

The early childhood education and care staff have a non-disclosure obligation regarding the child and the family. 

• In early childhood education and care, the children will go outdoors no matter the weather, so please pack appropriate indoor and outdoor clothes 

• Spare clothes in case of accidents 

• Indoor slippers 

• A stuffed animal or sleeping rag for children who will take a nap 

• Diapers for children who need them are provided by the guardian, the use of reusable diapers should be agreed on with the daycare centre staff 

• Pacifier or baby’s bottle is provided by the guardian 

• Other accessories can also be brought from home, such as strollers or toys – to be agreed on with the daycare centre staff 

• Clothes and accessories of the child should be marked with name tags – they will be easier to find if they happen to get lost 

The early childhood education and care staff are responsible for making sure that the person picking up the child has the right to do so. The child will only be handed to people approved by the guardian. It can also be agreed that some other person recorded in eVaka can pick up the child on a case-by-case basis. In such cases, the guardian should provide permission to pick up the child in writing.  

The guardians’ contact information should be kept up to date. If your child has not been picked up by the deadline, the daycare centre will contact the guardians and an appointed backup person. If the centre fails to contact them, other appointed people will be contacted. 

The child will never be handed to an intoxicated person. The child will never be handed to a person acting unpredictably or violently. If the centre cannot hand the child to the person picking them up, the centre will contact people with the authority to pick them up, or any appointed backup people. If they cannot be contacted, the centre will contact child protection services. 

The staff is obligated to make sure that the person picking up the child is capable of taking care of the child and their safety.

Individual early childhood education and care plan 

An individual early childhood education and care plan is compiled for each child together with the guardian. The child participates in compiling the plan if possible. The compiling of the plan is started after six weeks from starting early childhood education and care. The planning considers the guardian’s view of the child and the carer’s experiences of the child in groups. Shared decisions and agreements arise in the discussion about how the early childhood education and care staff can promote the child’s growth and learning in practice. The implementation of the plan is evaluated at least once per school year and more often if needed. 

Lapset puheeksi discussion 

The city of Oulu has adopted the Lapset puheeksi method (talk about children). In the Lapset puheeksi discussion, matters regarding the child’s everyday life are discussed together, such as home life, early childhood education and care, school, hobbies and free-time activities. The goal is to promote understanding of important matters to the child that affect their well-being and ease of everyday life. The discussion is voluntary. The Lapset puheeksi discussion is held in connection with starting early childhood education and care and whenever necessary.  

A child’s individual medical plan is compiled for all children in early childhood education and care who need medical care (such as asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, inflammatory illnesses). The plan is compiled together with the child’s guardians, daycare centre staff and health care staff if needed before the starting the medical care in early childhood education and care. The same medical plan is used in all daycare centres, schools and youth service centres in the city.  

If you need to draw up an individual medication plan for your child, you will receive a form and instructions from your child's early childhood education centre.

The main rule is that an ill child will not be taken to the daycare centre, family day care, club or preschool. The ill child should be at home. If the child suffers from a contagious illness, the child can return to daycare or family day care once the child is healthy, and the illness is no longer contagious. The child should be able to participate in all group activities normally, including outdoor activities and play with the others.  

Home care instructions for the most common illnesses and problems (in Finnish) 

• flu
• stomach flu
• recurrent stomachache
• child's headache
• head louse
• pinworm infection
• warts
• chickenpox
• impetigo
• scabies

Starting early childhood education and care is a new experience, especially for the child, and at the same time it changes the everyday life of the whole family. How can you prepare for the change and what should the parents know?

This guide provides practical information on starting early childhood education and care, but also briefly discusses legislation and the basics of the early childhood education plan.

• Dagis börjar Välkommen! (SV, pdf)
• ДИТЯЧИЙ САДОК РОЗПОЧИНАЄ СВОЮ РОБОТУ Ласкаво просимо! (ukraina, pdf)
• Nursery School Begins Welcome! (eng. pdf)
• Beaiveruoktu álgá Bures boahtin! (pohjoissaame, pdf)
• تبدأ رياض الأطفال. أهلًا وسهلًا! (arabia, pdf)
• Dugsiga Xanaanadu Caruurtu Wuu Bilaabmayaa Soo Dhawow! (somali, pdf)
• ДЕТСКИЙ САД НАЧИНАЕТ СВОЮ РАБОТУ Добро пожаловать! (RU, pdf)

The City of Oulu has guidelines for preventing infections in children in early childhood education. The aim is to reduce the morbidity and absences due to illness among children and staff. The guidelines are based on the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health's guide "Reducing the risk of infection in day care" and the strategy for early childhood education in Oulu.

Every daycare centre and family daycare has a hygiene plan to which the staff commits and the implementation of which is regularly assessed. 

Prevention of infections in children in early childhood education and care is carried out in cooperation with the child's guardians. Guardians will receive a bulletin on measures to improve everyday hygiene at home and in daycare centres.