2025
Longer leave and more protection. Nursery carers will work under new rules
13 January 2025
Additional holiday leave depending on the length of service, discounts on train fares and provision of the protection envisaged for public servants - such solutions, among others, are envisaged for carers in crèches and children's clubs in the draft amendment to the Act on which the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy is working.
The draft includes solutions for carers in a crèche, children's club and day carers who are employed by local government units or public institutions.
Among other things, it is proposed to establish the protection of public servants, a 33 per cent discount on reduced rail fares, the introduction of a digital ID card and the introduction of solutions allowing for the substitution of a day-care provider in the event that the latter is on leave or for other reasons unable to care for the children.
The length of annual leave will increase with each year of service. The Ministry also wants to introduce an additional leave of two days for carers after five years of employment, which will increase by two days with every five years of work, until it reaches 10 days.
According to the proposal of the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy, the director of the crèche will be obliged to release the carer from childcare for eight hours a year or to set any day off (the so-called director's day) so that the careter can take part in training to improve his or her qualifications and competences.
The draft also envisages the introduction of two organisational forms of day-care activities: a self-employed day-care worker and a day-care centre, where care is provided for up to 16 children, at the same time.
Under the proposed changes, up to 8 children will be able to be looked after by a day carer if they are assisted by a parent or other person with the same qualifications as the day carer. Currently, the legislation provides that, as a general rule, up to 5 children can be under the care of a day carer and, if assisted by a parent, up to 8 children.
The draft also provides for an extension of training for carers in a crèche or a children's club and for day carers, so that these persons acquire qualifications related to the quality standards for childcare for children aged up to three years.
The draft also sets out amendments to the regulations on the provision of food in a crèche or children's club and by a day carer. It is proposed that a decree of the Minister of Health should specify the groups of products recommended for consumption by children up to the age of three years, in order to make it easier for childcare institutions to select healthy foods that are free of excess sugar or highly processed products.
The regulation provides for the establishment of 4 April as the ‘Day of the Carer of the Young Child’. In addition, the minister, the head of the province, or local authority will be able to award a special prize or medal to persons providing care in childcare institutions for children up to the age of three.
2024
Council of Preschool Heads
30 October 2024
The Minister of Education has established the Council of Preschool Heads, a nationwide forum for initiating and consulting new organisational and legal solutions, including those proposed by the Minister, in the environment of heads of nursery schools and schools, and persons managing other forms of pre-school education.
The Ministry is planning changes to the core curriculum for pre-school education. There is also planned provision for additional funding to support functional assessment of children in 2025.
The Council comprises 16 preschool heads.
The tasks of the Council include, in particular: initiating and giving opinions on changes in preschool education and organising and supporting information and promotion activities in the field of preschool education, in particular in the educational environment.
To participate in the work of the Council, in an advisory capacity, the Minister of Education or the Chairman of the Council may invite persons whose qualifications, knowledge or experience may be useful in the work of the Council.
4th edition of the preschool programme ‘Little Great Explorers’
4 September 2024
Registration for the 4th edition of the ‘Little Great Explorers’ programme for kindergartens, based on the idea of learning through experience (Experiential Learning) will open on 9 September. The event is held under the honorary patronage of the Minister of Education.
The programme, based on the idea of Experiential Learning aims to arouse curiosity about the world and a passion for science among children through engaging and interactive activities. Preschools that apply to the programme will receive lesson plans, covering a wide variety of interesting topics and inspiring experiences with explanations of the processes explored.
This year's edition introduces three fascinating thematic blocks: trees, water, and units of measurement. Each theme has been developed in cooperation with experienced specialists and methodologists in pre-school education in order to provide the children not only with knowledge, but also with plenty of joy from discovery and experimentation.
The first 600 kindergartens that successfully complete the registration process will receive Learning Packs containing a set of essential materials for the activities. The Pack includes:
- Lesson scenarios adapted to children's age and abilities, full of interesting experiences and activities.
- Teaching materials for experiments and practical tasks.
- Short instructional videos to support teachers in conducting lessons, which demonstrate the performance of selected tasks in an accessible way.
Other establishments will have access to an electronic version of the materials, so that all interested kindergartens can use the programme's resources and join in the scientific adventure.
Active toddler - PLN 60 million for communes for day-care carers of children up to three years of age
16 July 2024
Local authorities with no childcare facility for children under three years of age can apply for funding from the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy's new programme ‘First day-care provider in the commune’. The Ministry's aim is to support parents of young children.
At present, 42 per cent of communes (gmina) in Poland do not have any form of institutional care for children under three. That means as many as 1,046 communes where parents cannot use a crèche or other institution to more easily combine work and family life. The new programme aims to quickly solve the problem of inaccessibility to care, especially in smaller communes, with the greatest needs.
Under the First day-care provider in the commune programme, funding is available in two pillars.
The first pillar allows for a PLN300,000 one-off grant to adapt the facility or facilities where the childcare will be provided. This can be, for example, a flat, but adapted to the needs of young children so as to create space for a day-care provider to undertake his/her tasks.
The second pillar of the programme is a day-care subsidy of up to PLN 8,000 gross for one day-care worker per month. Thanks to these two pillars of the programme, the commune will be able to first create and then ensure the operation of the new childcare facility.
The total budget for the programme is PLN 60 million in 2024 and the call for applications runs until 30 August.
The Ministry of National Education has joined the programme and 85 educational settings will receive funding to create ECEC places for children under the age of 3.
Active Parent
12 June 2024
On 12 June 2024, the Act on Supporting Parents to Be Active and Raise a Child ‘Active Parent’ was announced in the Official Journal. The Act introduces 3 new benefits for parents raising young children. Call for applications for the new benefits will be open by ZUS from 1 October 2024.
The law introduces three ‘Active parent’ benefits into the legal system, supporting parents in being active at work and in raising their child:
- the ‘Active parents at work’ benefit
- the ‘Active at nursery’ benefit
- the ‘Active at home’ benefit
The ‘Active parents at work’ benefit is aimed at economically active parents of a child aged between 12 and 35 months. The Act defines the professional activity, the level/type of which will entitle parents to receive the above-mentioned benefit. The ‘Active parents at work’ benefit equals to PLN 1,500 per month for a period of 24 months from the child's 12th to 35th month. In the case of children with a disability certificate, the benefit will be due in the increased amount of PLN 1,900 per month.
The ‘Actively in a day-care centre’ benefit will replace the currently existing and much less favourable subsidised reduction of the fee for a child's stay in a day-care centre, children's club or day carer, which is set at a maximum of PLN 400 per month, regulated by the Act of 4 February 2011 on the care of children up to the age of 3. The ‘Actively in a nursery’ benefit will be addressed to parents of children attending childcare institutions for children up to the age of 3 - i.e. a nursery, a children's club or a day carer, and will be equal to up to PLN 1,500 per month per child or up to PLN 1,900 per month per disabled child, but no more than the fee the parent pays in the care institution.
The law also introduces an upper limit for nursery fees. In the first period of the Act implementation, the threshold will be PLN 2,200 per month.
The ‘Actively at home’ benefit will replace the previously functioning and less favourable (as it is not granted for the first child), Family care capital. ‘Actively at home’ will be granted for each child in the family between the age of 12 and 35 months and will be paid at the rate of PLN 500 per month for 24 months. This support is aimed at those parents of children aged between 12 and 35 months who will not be eligible or who, of their own free will, choose not to take advantage of the ‘Active parents at work’ or ‘Active at daycare’ benefit, as they remain economically inactive or their child is not attending an ECEC institution.
In addition, the Act introduces amendments to the Act of 4 February 2011 on care for children up to 3 years of age, aimed at increasing the availability of care places and improving the quality of services provided. In addition, it also introduces regulations enabling the minister responsible for family affairs to announce and implement programmes covering additional measures to improve the quality of care in institutions for children up to 3 years of age, to promote and make parents aware of the importance of proper institutional care from the point of view of a young child's development, and to conduct research or evaluation of the solutions introduced in order to improve and develop the child care services.
"Who are you? – A Little Pole” - new programme of the Minister of Education
29 May 2024
"Kto ty jesteś? - Polak mały" is a new programme of the Minister of Education for pre-schoolers. The communication from the Minister of Education on the establishment of the programme will be signed at the beginning of June, and the call for applications will start on 26 June this year and will last until 17 July 2024.
Under the programme, funding will be provided to NGOs to organise cultural activities, competitions, picnics, exhibitions and excursions for preschoolers. Scout organisations, research institutes, cultural institutions and entities carrying out statutory activities in the field of education can apply for funding.
The programme will be divided into thematic modules for the projects:
1. Module 1 - ‘Explorers of the world’.
a. organisation of workshops and activities to develop creativity in science and natural sciences;
b. creation of a space for experimenting with different fields of knowledge, where children will be able to develop their manual skills;
c. creation of interactive teaching aids and educational materials innovative in form, created for the sake of the STEM idea;
d. organising excursions and educational meetings to places that will broaden children's horizons and awaken their passion for exploring the world.
2 Module 2 - ‘Culture for Nursery School’:
a. organisation of activities dedicated to local culture and traditions and local cultural heritage to develop a sense of local identity and respect for cultural diversity;
b. organisation of artistic, musical, artistic and theatrical activities that will develop children's creativity, imagination and expression;
c. cooperation with local cultural institutions, museums and artists to organise workshops and cultural events for children.
3 Module 3 - ‘Safe Pre-schoolers’:
a. organisation of classes and educational workshops for children on basic safety rules and first aid;
b. Conducting and preparing competitions or exhibitions, presentations on safety in various situations, i.e. in the kindergarten, on the playground, at home or in the immediate surroundings;
c. creating interactive educational teaching aids and materials.
Module 4 - ‘The World in the Nursery School’:
a. the organisation of educational activities on different countries, cultures and customs in order to raise children's awareness of the diversity of the world and to promote the idea of global interaction, understanding and tolerance;
b. organisation of activities devoted to the European Union and its values in order to develop attitudes of openness and intercultural cooperation;
c. organising events to broaden knowledge of the contemporary world, including: competitions, exhibitions, presentations, sports and recreational events, and picnics.
The amount of funds for the implementation of one project within the module:
- ‘Explorers of the world’ - from PLN 20,000 to PLN 500,000
- ‘Culture for kindergarten’ - from PLN 20,000 to PLN 500,000
- ‘Safe Pre-schoolers’ - from PLN 20,000 to PLN 500,000
- ‘The World in the Kindergarten’ - from PLN 20,000 to PLN 500,000.
Family 800+
1 February 2024
The 'Family 800+' programme is a support for families to partially cover expenses related to raising a child, including childcare and meeting the child's living needs.
Under the 'Family 800+' programme, families with dependent children are entitled to an upbringing benefit for a child up to the age of 18, regardless of the income earned by the family.
From 1 January 2024, the amount of the child benefit is PLN 800 per month per child. Before this date the child benefit amounted to PLN 500 per month.
The Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) is responsible for accepting applications for child benefit, processing them and granting and paying out this benefit.
Applications to the Social Insurance Institution can only be submitted electronically via the Internet, and payment of the awarded benefit is made only in a non-cash form, to the bank account indicated in the application.
As of 1 February 2024, the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) started accepting applications to establish the right to child benefit for the new benefit period 2024/2025 lasting from 1 June 2024 to 31 May 2025.
2023
New Regulation of the Minister of Family and Social Policy on the standards of care provided to children under 3 years of age
30 October 2023
The Ministry of Family and Social Policy, aiming to ensure the highest quality of services in care institutions, has developed standards for care provided to children up to the age of 3. The standards, which provide a framework for the quality of care and education, have been introduced through an amendment to the provisions of the Act on care for children up to the age of 3 and an ordinance of the Minister of Family and Social Policy.
The regulation aims to define a national quality framework for early care and education services, adapted to national regulations and conditions, needs reported by stakeholders, while taking into account the nature of care services depending on the form of care: in a crèche, a children's club or by a day carer. It responds to the need to standardise the quality framework for care and education introduced so far independently by the majority of childcare institutions for children up to the age of 3. According to research carried out by the Institute of Labour and Social Affairs, it is estimated that nearly 75 per cent of childcare institutions formulate care and education plans in order to improve their management and ensure the quality of work with children.
The implementation of the quality framework, as recommended by the Council of the European Union, is of an optional nature, adapted to intra-state regulations, and with other legislation in the field of childcare for children up to the age of 3 and the multiannual programme for the development of childcare institutions for children up to the age of 3 MALUCH+ 2022-2029, implements the key principles of the quality framework as indicated in the recommendations of the Council of the European Union.
The regulation sets out standards for:
- working with the child
- safety of children
- organisation of work, development and safety of the staff employed in the crèche or children's club or day-care worker respectively
- monitoring and evaluation
- the co-operation of those providing care with parents.
These standards consist of thematic blocks that provide a detailed framework for the quality of care and education. The thematic blocks that are part of the standards form a care and education plan to ensure that the care services provided by crèches, children's clubs and day care providers are standardised and equivalent to the regulations in force in the European Union.
The standards for working with children provide a framework for care and education that takes into account the needs of children and their all-round development.
Child safety standards are procedures that define the rules of a child's stay in a care institution.
Standards concerning the organisation of work ensure that the staff's care competences can be continuously developed, including ensuring that conditions are created that are conducive to stimulating the child's development.
Further standards relate to the monitoring and evaluation of the care system. It is necessary that care services are reviewed and revised to take care of the current needs of young children.
Complementing the previous standards are standards to ensure proper cooperation between parents and institutional care providers.
Another 90,000 new crèche places - Toddler+ 2023
27 April 2023
The new edition of the Toddler+ programme has been open. The aim of the programme is to establish a crèche in every commune. 2023 call will enable the creation of around 90,000 care places.
Thanks to the new edition of the Toddler+ programme, the number of "white spots" (i.e. communes without crèches) will be reduced from 1,105 to 664. In 441 communes, a crèche or a children's club subsidised under the programme will be the first such institution in its area.
So far, 52 per cent of local authorities had crèches on their territory, this year's intake will bring that number up to 73 per cent. There are now 230,000 childcare places for toddlers in Poland, while in 2015 there were only 84,000.
The budget for the new edition of the Toddler+ programme is PLN 5.5 billion.
The programme is financed mainly from the European Social Fund Plus (over PLN 3.7 billion) and the National Programme for Reconstruction (KPO, PLN 1.7 billion).
Funds for the creation of new crèche care places were divided according to an algorithm. Communes will receive a specific pool of funds to be used for the creation and operation of care places, according to their needs resulting from statistics and the rules of European programmes.
New to the Toddler+ programme is a subsidy for each newly created childcare place for children up to three years old. This is an amount of up to PLN 837 per month for three years.
Toddler+ programme - 2022-2029 (additional information)
The 'Toddler (Maluch)+' programme supports the development of childcare institutions for children up to the age of three - crèches, children's clubs and day carers. Final recipients of support can receive funding for the creation and operation of care places. The new version of the programme covers the period 2022-2029.
The aim of the programme is to increase the territorial and financial availability of care places in crèches, children's clubs and day carers for all children, including those with disabilities and those requiring special care.
Legal basis: Act of 4 February 2011 on the care of children aged up to 3 years
Ninanki - a new programme to promote physical activity for pre-schoolers
10 March 2023
"Ninanki" is an educational programme aimed at pre-schoolers and pupils in the grades 1-3 of primary schools. It addresses physical and mental development and is based on basic movement patterns emphasising coordination and concentration.
"Ninanki" depicts the animal world, in which movement is a natural, biological need, exactly as it is for young humans. By identifying animals with particular movements, children can be taught the basic principles of physical activity in an attractive way. A well-chosen programme of sports activities has a positive impact on their physical and emotional development.
The project is currently in the process of being translated into Czech, English, Italian, Ukrainian and the Silesian dialect.
2022
New edition of the Toddler+ programme
30 November 2022
The Minister for Family and Social Policy has presented the assumptions of the new edition of the Maluch+ programme. Under the programme, crèches and kids clubs are being set up, refurbished or equipped, and places in day-care are being created.
So far, the Toddler+ programme has operated on an annual basis; now it will have a long-term character. Its budget in the new edition is planned at PLN 5.5 billion. This will increase the number of places for the youngest children by additional 102,000 places. Currently, there are 8,000 crèches and children's clubs, with approx. 228,000 childcare places for children under the age of three. In 2015, there were fewer than 3 000 facilities, which offered places for just 84 000 children.
The programme is primarily aimed at municipalities and secondarily at other entities creating childcare places for the youngest children. It makes it possible not only to activate parents professionally, but also to increase employment.
In the new edition of the programme, municipalities will have three years to implement the task from the announcement of the grant award. The funds will be spent not only on reconstruction, renovation of the building or adaptation of the rooms to the needs of children, but also on the purchase or installation of equipment. Local authorities will receive up to PLN 837 per month for three years to subsidise the operation of an already established place for the youngest children.
The government has adopted the "Demographic Strategy 2040".
15 November 2022
The Council of Ministers adopted on 15 November 2022. "Demographic Strategy 2040", the main goal of which is to escape the low fertility trap and come closer to a birth level that guarantees the replacement of generations. The document emphasises that in order to enable Poles to realise their plans to have children, it is necessary to take action in specific areas.
Strengthening the family through, among other things, financial security and support in meeting housing needs were listed among them. Removal of barriers for those wishing to have children, e.g. through the development of a family-friendly labour market, development of health care, improvement of the quality and organisation of education, and development of childcare facilities are also included together with improving the quality of management and implementation of policies at central and local government level.
In the materials made available on the Chancellery of the Prime Minister's website, the Demographic Strategy 2040 is described as a comprehensive document which aims to reverse unfavourable trends in Polish demography.
Subsidising provision for children below 3. PLN 95 million has already been allocated to ECEC settings
9 June 2022
Another new support instrument for families with young children - in addition to the Family Care Capital - is a subsidy for the child's stay at a crèche, children's club or day-care provider - up to PLN 400 per month. It applies to those children who do not qualify for the Family Care Capital because, for example, they do not meet the age criterion.
Lower fees for a child's stay in, for example, a day-care centre, means in practice more affordable care and easing the burden on household budgets. To date, more than PLN 95 million for 78,500 children has already been directed to care institutions as part of subsidising the stay of children in a crèche, a children's club or with a day carer.
Applications for this additional funding, can only be submitted electronically.
Family Care Capital
January 2022
The Family Care Capital is a new benefit for parents to receive for the second and subsequent child in a family. The benefit is payable from the month in which that child turns 12 months old until the end of the month in which the child turns 35 months old. The maximum capital entitlement is as much as PLN 12,000 per child.
Family care capital is an additional support instrument to facilitate the combination of parenthood and work.
The family care capital came into effect on 1 January 2022.
Family care capital is available in the amount of PLN 500 or PLN 1,000 per month. The parents themselves can indicate whether they want to receive the capital in the amount of PLN 500 for 24 months or in the amount of PLN 1,000 for 12 months.
The benefit is available regardless of family income.
Changes in childcare for children under 3 years
- The provisions of the Family Care Capital Act also provide for amendments to the Childcare Act for children up to the age of three, which will, among other things, introduce a subsidy for stays in a crèche, a children's club or with a day-care provider for children not covered by the Family Care Capital.
- The subsidy will be available - upon request - to parents, legal guardians and other persons entrusted by the court with the care of the child. It will be linked to the stay of a child not covered by the Family Care Capital in a childcare institution for children up to the age of three and will result in a reduction of the monthly fee paid for the stay (excluding meals, but taking into account discounts provided by the institution supervising the ECEC setting).
Subsidies will be available:
- for the first and only child in a family,
- for the first child in families where another child is covered by the family care capital,
- for a child before the age of 12 months and after the age of 35 months.
The subsidy will amount to a maximum of PLN 400 per month per child in a crèche, children's club or day-care centre, but no more than the fee paid by parents for the stay of their children in the crèche, children's club or day-care centre.
It is estimated that around 110,000 children will be covered by this support.