Early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Serbia is regulated through the Law on the Education System Foundations, Law on Preschool Education, ratified international conventions and other accompanying regulations and documents, based on children’s rights and developmental, educational, cultural, health and social needs of preschool-age children and their families.

Goals of ECEC in Serbia are:

1. Support to overall development and wellbeing of preschool-age children, by providing incentives for development of children’s capacities, deepening of experiences and knowledge about themselves, people and the world;
2. Support to the upbringing role of the family;
3. Support to further education and care and integration into society;
4. Support to the development of children’s potential as a crucial factor of individual and societal progress.

According to the Law on Preschool Education, ECEC is intended for children from 6 months to 7 years of age, when they start their primary education. ECEC consists of three levels, determined by the age of children: nursery (for children from 6 months to 3 years of age), kindergarten (for children from 3 to 5 and a half years of age) and preschool preparatory programme (PPP).

Nursery and kindergarten are optional and subject to parents’ decision. Preschool programme consists of general half-day or whole-day long educational activities and optional specialised programmes, as determined by the interests of children and their parents, ECEC institutional capacities and resources provided by local authorities.

PPP is mandatory for all children in Serbia. It lasts at least nine months, 4 hours per day. Children admitted to this programme must not be younger than 5 and a half or older than 6 and a half years of age at the beginning of the school year they are about to attend. PPP’s function is to provide equal conditions for all children and deepen their social and cognitive experience, which alleviates socio-cultural differences among children and puts them in the same or similar position when they start primary school. In this respect, PPP acts as a link between ECEC and primary education and eases children’s transition from one system to another. PPP is carried out pursuant to the guidelines provided by the Bylaw on Detailed Conditions for the Preparatory Preschool Programme Implementation.

Children with disabilities may attend either regular preschool groups or the so-called development groups, both of which are organised in compliance with the Individual Education and Care Plan, as stated in the Bylaw on the Individual Education Plan Implementation and Evaluation. Additional educational, health or social support may be provided to children with disabilities through relevant organisations, if so is required by their respective ECEC institutions.

Since ECEC in Serbia is a public service, ECEC institutions are founded by the State or by local governments. Private ECEC institutions are also available. ECEC institutions are responsible for providing meals, care, preventive health and social protection services for children.