Objectives and accessibility

Home-based preschool education may be organised in the home of a preschool teacher or a preschool teacher assistant employed in a kindergarten, or by a private preschool teacher, who must be entered in the register maintained by the ministry responsible for preschool education. Kindergartens organise this form of provision in accordance with local needs and interests, and with the consent of the founder.

Preschool education programmes may also be delivered by kindergartens or private preschool teachers through an education and care family. This provision applies to the home of a preschool teacher, a preschool teacher assistant employed in a kindergarten, or a private preschool teacher.

Childminders may also provide care services for up to 6 children in their own homes. They are not qualified to deliver the preschool education programme, but only to provide childcare. They must also be entered in the register maintained by the competent ministry.

Home-based provision of the preschool education programme is very rare.

Requirements for childminders and child ratios

Childminders

Childminders providing childcare services must have completed upper secondary technical or general education, supplemented by an appropriate vocational qualification, or meet the requirements applicable to education professionals.

Childminders must be registered with the ministry responsible for education and may provide care in their own homes for up to 6 children.

In the 2025/2026 school year, 232 childminders were registered with the ministry. (Source: Ministry of Education, Register)

Providers of home-based preschool education

Education and care family

For children in the first age group, this form of provision may be delivered by individuals who meet the requirements for preschool teachers or preschool teacher assistants. For children in the second age group, provision may be delivered by those who meet the requirements for preschool teachers, provided that appropriate premises and equipment are available in accordance with established norms and standards.

Premises and equipment used in education and care families must comply with the prescribed norms and standards applicable to kindergartens.

More detailed provisions governing education and care families are determined by the minister responsible for education.

Municipal approval is granted where enrolment in public kindergartens exceeds the number of available places.

Kindergartens organising this form of provision select providers through a public call for applications and conclude a specific contract with the selected provider. This contract regulates mutual rights, obligations and conditions under which education and care are delivered.

Parental contributions for children enrolled in education and care families are determined in accordance with the regulations governing parents' payments for kindergarten programmes.

In the 2025/2026 school year, no education and care families were recorded. 

Private preschool teachers

Private preschool teachers may provide preschool education in cooperation with kindergartens, independently as home-based providers, or within an education and care family in their own home.

They must meet the same qualification requirements as education staff in public kindergartens and must be entered in the register maintained by the ministry responsible for preschool education.

Where a private preschool teacher provides services independently in their own premises or within an education and care family, the suitability of the premises must be demonstrated during the registration procedure. The same requirements apply as for public kindergartens.

If an education and care family is organised by a private preschool teacher, the maximum number of children is:

• up to 6 children in the first age group (from 1 to 3 years), 
• up to 8 children in the second age group (from 3 years to entry into primary school), 
• up to 7 children in a mixed-age group (children of different ages).

Kindergartens conclude contracts with private preschool teachers based on a public call for applications.

In the 2025/2026 school year, no private preschool teachers were registered according to ministry data. (Source: Ministry of Educaiton, Register)