There are different forms of early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Ukraine. In addition to early childhood education institutions (ECEIs), there are also structural subdivisions of educational institutions. Children, including those with special educational needs (SEN), may receive early childhood education at the request of their parents (or persons in loco parentis) through the home form of ECEC. This is provided by persons with pedagogical education or professional qualifications of a pedagogical worker, as well as by individual entrepreneurs whose main activity is education.

ECEIs has the authority to meet the needs of citizens in their respective areas with regard to early childhood education, to provide social and pedagogical patronage, to interact with families and to disseminate psychological, pedagogical and physiological knowledge about pre-school children to parents. Social and pedagogical patronage focuses on supporting pre-school children who are not enrolled in early childhood education, which can be provided either at home or in another institution, including ECEIs.

Child development centres also promote the physical, intellectual and psychological development of children, correct existing psychological or physical development problems and support the rehabilitation of children, including those being raised at home.

Objectives and accessibility

In the context of ECEC, the provision of home-based services, which may be referred to as socio-pedagogical patronage, is a system of measures aimed at helping families adapt to social requirements. The Law on Early Childhood Education and Care (закон України ‘Про дошкільну освіту’) stipulates that the staff of ECEI should provide such patronage. The term ‘socio-pedagogical patronage for families’ refers to a system of humanitarian services and measures aimed at facilitating the adaptation of families and their members to the expectations of society, assisting in the upbringing of children, overcoming and preventing interpersonal conflicts within the family, and protecting children's rights (лист Міністерства освіти і науки України ‘Про здійснення соціально-педагогічного патронату сімей’).

Socio-pedagogical patronage is provided to families with children whose physical and/or intellectual development requires correction or who, for various reasons (e.g. the absence or remoteness of an ECEI or the physical inability of parents to transport their child to the institution), do not attend ECEIs. This form of support enables more children to participate in free ECEC and facilitates the integration of children lacking social competencies into the community

The objectives of the socio-pedagogical patronage for families are:

• To provide methodological and advisory support to families, involving parents in the upbringing, education and rehabilitation of the child;

• To guarantee, at the state level, every child's right to access free early childhood education, involving more children in ECEC;

• To provide early assistance to children who need correction of their physical and/or intellectual development, enabling their gradual full or partial integration into society.

The main tasks of the socio-pedagogical patronage for families include:

• Organising targeted professional support to help families address their psychological, educational and social problems;

• Developing the social and educational competence of families by equipping them with sufficient knowledge and skills to cope with everyday challenges;

• Ensuring the comprehensive development of children of pre-school age, taking into account their abilities, talents, individual intellectual and physical characteristics, cultural needs and moral development, as well as creating conditions for their socialisation;

• Providing comprehensive psychological, pedagogical, correctional and developmental support to pre-school children who need assistance in their physical and/or intellectual development, or who require long-term treatment and rehabilitation;

• Helping to create appropriate psychological and pedagogical conditions for the child's upbringing in accordance with their age, individual needs and the need for timely and versatile development.

Socio-pedagogical patronage may be provided either at home or in an ECEI. If such a service is provided in the child's home, a provisional group of up to 15 children of different ages can be formed based on proximity to the ECEI. In this case, the socio-pedagogical patronage includes home visits. The main focus of this approach is to provide parents with guidance on how to organise productive creative activities for their child at home, ensure appropriate physical activity and create a stimulating developmental environment in the child's room. Typically, a social pedagogue provides socio-pedagogical patronage to these families, working a 40-hour week, including travel time. Family visits take place twice a week. 

In the ECEI, socio-pedagogical patronage for children enrolled in the home form of ECEC is provided by enrolling them in short-term attendance groups (without meals). These groups can accommodate up to 10 children. In addition, children may attend regular groups in different types of ECEIs. In such cases, they are officially registered in the attendance register of the group they join. In general, children attend groups two to three times a week. The duration of their attendance is determined individually, based on each child's readiness to integrate with their peers.

Parents of children in home-based ECEC may access educational services at child development centres that operate as ECEIs, in accordance with the Regulation on Child Development Centres (постанова Кабінету Міністрів України ‘Про затвердження Положення про центр розвитку дитини’).

The development, upbringing, and education of children in all types and forms of ECEIs, including home-based provision, adhere to the requirements of the Basic component of ECEC. For children with SEN, these requirements are met by considering their aptitudes, abilities, and individual intellectual and physical capacities, ensuring that each child receives the optimal form of education. 

According to the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, the overall enrolment rate of children in ECEIs was 65% in 2021, with 78% in urban areas and 43% in rural areas. However, in 2022, the enrolment rate dropped to 53%, with 62% in urban areas and 35% in rural areas. It is important to note that these statistics do not include data from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. The significant drop in enrolment rates in 2022 was due to the military actions carried out by Russia on Ukrainian territory. Meanwhile, children receiving social and educational support are still enrolled in ECEIs.

 Requirements for childminders and child ratios

Socio-pedagogical patronage for families is usually provided by a social pedagogue. Family visits take place twice a week with groups of no more than 15 children. The minimum qualification for basic professional training is an initial (short cycle) higher education corresponding to International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) level 5. Alternatively, a first (bachelor) level of higher education (ISCED 6) may be considered. It is compulsory for social pedagogues to undergo further training in accordance with the requirements of the profession at least once every five years, without being awarded a new qualification level. Other staff may also carry out the functions of a social pedagogue.

Pre-school educators, including practical psychologists, special education teachers, speech and language therapists and other staff, work with children in short-term groups or with children who have different attendance patterns. The ECEI determines the number of staff on the basis of the number of groups or children present. To qualify for initial professional training, a teacher (bachelor's degree) must have either professional non-tertiary education or initial (short cycle) higher education (junior bachelor's degree, ISCED 5). Legislation requires pedagogical staff to complete at least 120 hours of in-service training (equivalent to four European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits) every five years.