Childcare units

 

 

 

 

 

 

Compared to family childcare, the municipal childcare units offer more possibilities for you to choose when your child is at care.

In a childcare group, per one adult with educational responsibility there can be at most four children under the age of 3 or seven children over the age of 3. The personnel consists of kindergarten teachers and childcarers.

The normal opening hours of the day care units is 6.30 am to 5 pm. The opening hours can vary from unit to unit. More detailed information can be obtained from the units’ own web sites and the day care unit directors. Private early childhood care and education during evenings, nights and weekends is provided for those children who need it due to the parents’ work or studies. The Tessjoki day care unit offers evening care until 10 pm, the Ruukki day care unit offers evening and weekend care and the Koskenkylä day care unit offers care 24 hours a day, also during weekends.

Starting in Early Childhood Education and Care

Children react differently when starting in Early Childhood Education and Care. Factors influencing how well a child adjusts to his or her new situation are:

• the child’s age
• earlier experiences of childcare and separation
• the length of the day in care
• the child’s temperament
• the parents’ trust in the personnel

In order for us to welcome your child in the best possible way, and to create prerequisites for a safe and comfortable start at Early Childhood Education and Care, we devote ourselves to the following:

• Named carers. Each child is assigned a named carer. The carer’s most important task is to be present during the first days of care, to get to know your child and to comfort him or her if he or she is worried about something.
• Home visits. The visit at home offers you as parents a unique opportunity to tell us about your child. Your child gets to meet his or her named carer for the first time in safe and familiar surroundings. The named carer, on the other hand, gets valuable information as well as an opportunity to build a trusting relationship to you and your child.
• Careful start. During the careful start, your child is acquainted with the childcare with you. The length of the careful start varies between one to two weeks depending on your child’s needs and personality. The careful start is primarily intended to make your child feel safe in childcare and to practice being separated from you. You, on the other hand, are acquainted with the daily activities and routines at the childcare.