Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) in the German-speaking Community of Belgium is divided into two areas:

• "Infant care" for children under the age of three
• "Child care" for children aged three to twelve

• “Infant care”: ECEC for children under 3 years 

Infant care is offered for children from birth until their third birthday in all 9 municipalities of the German-speaking Community. 

Care is provided in various forms:

1. Childminders working from home (conventioned or self-employed): This form of care takes place in a family environment. Each childminder usually cares for six infants at the same time. This type of care is characterised by flexibility and a close relationship, with the individual needs of each child at the centre.
2. Self-employed co-childminders: Self-employed childminders may rent shared premises and provide care services together. Each childminder continues to care for “their” own children and signs a care contract with the child’s legal guardians. Two to a maximum of three self-employed childminders can work together, allowing care for 12 (3x4) to a maximum of 18 infants (3x6) simultaneously.
3. Co-initiatives for infant care: These facilities offer space for 7 to 12 infants and combine individualised care with the structure of a small group, guided by a team of employed childminders. They are open on weekdays for ten hours a day and provide children with a stable and stimulating environment.
4. Nurseries: Nurseries are larger collective care facilities. While mini-nurseries offer up to 17 care places, regular nurseries provide 18 or more. The spaces are designed to be child-friendly and promote play, creativity, and free movement development.

Oversight of infant care providers falls under the responsibility of the Family Department of the Department for Family and Social Affairs within the Ministry of the German-speaking Community.

“Child care”: ECEC for children aged between 2.5 and 6 years 

Kindergarten

From the age of two and a half, children are entitled to a free place in kindergarten. Kindergarten and primary school together make up the basic education level. Primary school begins at the age of six. 

Attendance at kindergarten is not compulsory for children under the age of five in the German-speaking Community. Compulsory education begins at the age of five. As previously mentioned, primary education starts at age six.

This area falls under the responsibility of the Fachbereich Ausbildung und Unterrichtsorganisation within the Ministry of the German-speaking Community.

Out-of-school care

Child care for children between the ages of two and a half and twelve in the German-speaking Community also includes supervision before and after school, as well as during school holidays and conference days until the end of primary school. This out-of-school care, known as Aube, is – like infant care – subject to charges (with the exception of the first hour, which is free of charge in subsidised facilities). 

Aube falls under the responsibility of the Referat Familie of the Fachbereich Familie und Soziales within the Ministry of the German-speaking Community.

Current reforms

As of 1 September 2024, children in the German-speaking Community can attend kindergarten from the age of 2.5 years. 

Conventioned childminders who were approved by the Regional Centre for Infant Care (RZKB) as of 31 December 2023 were, as part of the creation of the public-interest institution "Centre of the German-speaking Community for Childcare" (ZKB), given the choice on 1 January 2024 to either continue working as conventioned childminders under the existing system or to switch to the so-called “full status”. In this full status, they become home-based child carers employed by the new centre, with all the associated benefits such as a fixed salary, regular working hours, paid holidays, and unemployment benefits. 

Previously, conventioned childminders only received a compensation per child present.