Early childhood education and care (ECEC) does not form a single or uniform system in Poland. It is based on two systems: the childcare system supervised by the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy and the school education system that falls under the responsibility of the Ministry of National Education.

ECEC is divided into two stages:

• for children aged 0–3 years (ISCED 010): centre-based childcare provided in crèches (żłobki) and, since 2011, in kids’ clubs (kluby dziecięce), and home-based childcare provided by day-care providers (opiekun dzienny) and nannies (niania).

• for children aged 3 to 6/7 years (ISCED 020):  centre-based preschool education provided in nursery schools (przedszkole), preschool classes (oddziały przedszkolne) in primary schools and other preschool education settings, including preschool education units (zespół wychowania przedszkolnego) and preschool education centres (punkt przedszkolny).

Crèches, day-care providers and nannies provide care to children aged at least 20 weeks, whereas kids’ clubs take children aged 1 year and above (Act of 4 February 2011 on the Care for Children Aged up to 3 Years / ustawa z dnia 4 lutego 2011 r. o opiece nad dziećmi w wieku do lat 3). 

Preschool/pre-primary education is available to children from the beginning of the school year in the calendar year when they reach the age of 3 years until the end of the school year in the calendar year when they reach the age of 7 years. In exceptional cases, a child aged 2.5 years may participate in preschool education.

Pursuant to the Act of 14 December 2016, The Law on School Education (ustawa z dnia 14 grudnia 2016 r. Prawo oświatowe), 6-year-old children are required to attend one year of preschool education.

3-year-old and older children have the right to preschool education guaranteed by law (3-year-olds since 1 September 2017; 4-year-olds since 1 September 2015; and 5-year-olds since 1 September 2009).