1. Who the regulations apply to
Preschool and educational care are targeted at children from the age of one up until they start at a preschool class or compulsory school. The municipality offers places in municipal or independent preschools. At the request of parents, places may be offered in educational care.
As from the autumn term of the year in which they reach the age of three, children are offered preschool for at least 525 hours a year, unless otherwise specified in Article 8, §§ 5-7 of the Education Act. Fees for such places are only charged for that part of the arrangement that exceeds 525 hours a year.
Places are offered to children whose parents are in employment, studying, are unemployed or on parental leave in accordance with the Parental Leave Act in order to care for another child. Places can also be offered to children who, for physical, mental or other reasons, require particular developmental support in the form of preschool, as well as if the child has specific needs due to the family situation in some other respect.
Children in need of particular developmental support may, following assessment, be awarded a place before their first birthday.
2. Opening times
Preschools are normally open between 06.30-18.00, Monday-Friday (except public holidays). However, the opening times are governed by the needs of the children/parents within the normal opening times at each preschool. The units are closed at Christmas, New Year and Midsummer.
Independent preschools and educational care may have different opening times, if separate agreements have been entered into with the municipality.
Personnel attend study days on four days each year, and the units will be closed at these times. Those parents who are unable to arrange childcare on these days must notify the responsible preschool head at the latest three weeks in advance, in order that a temporary place can be arranged.
3. Placement
Parents and children who are on the national register in, or are about to move to, the municipality are entitled to apply for a place for their child in preschool and educational care within the municipality.
Placement in another municipality
It is possible to apply for preschool and educational care in another municipality, if an agreement is reached with the recipient municipality. Before a decision regarding placement is made, the recipient municipality must obtain a declaration from the child’s home municipality, Huddinge Municipality.
The application for a placement in another municipality must be submitted to the preschool authority in Huddinge Municipality.
Children from another municipality
Places may also be allocated to children from other municipalities, if agreement is reached with the home municipality.Before a decision regarding placement in the municipality is made, a declaration must be obtained from the child’s home municipality.
4. Application for place
Parents/guardians must submit the application for a place in preschool or educational care to the preschool authority at least four months before the date on which the children requires the place in preschool (preferred requirement date).
5. Order of priority
The basic principle when placing children is to offer a place as close to the child’s home as possible. Needs and wishes are taken into consideration in each placement.
The basic principle is to offer places according to the following order of priority:
1. Children who require particular developmental support for physical, mental or other reasons in accordance with Article 8 § 7 of the Education Act will be offered a place promptly. This placement is offered in conjunction with the preschool’s pupil support.
2. Requirement date: the date that the parent/guardian has registered as needing a place for his or her child in preschool or educational care. Earlier requirement dates take precedence ahead of later requirement dates. If several children have the same requirement date, they are prioritised according to age, where older children are placed before younger ones. If several children have the same requirement date and the same date of birth, the order of priority is determined by whether the parents have specified any particular reasons for placement at the unit where the vacant place is available.
3. Sibling priority. Siblings of children who already have a place are given priority regarding vacant places in preschools or educational care where the older siblings are placed.
4. Re-allocation of places for children who have not been awarded a place in the vicinity of the preschool.
5. Re-allocation of places for children within the local area.
The child’s attendance time must be determined in the first instance on the basis of the parents’ working hours, the scope of their studies, as well as travel time.
Children attending preschool or educational care must, prior to or in conjunction with starting a preschool class, be placed in a suitable preschool class or the preschool class applied for, though the Compulsory School Committee. In the event the child is to start at school, the child must be placed in suitable school-age childcare or the school-age childcare applied for, through the Compulsory School Committee. That which is specified here does not apply in the event the place in preschool or educational care is given up.
6. Need for special support
Children who require special developmental support for physical, mental or other reasons must be given the support that their special needs require. The head of the preschool must ensure that children who require special developmental support are given this support.
Parents/guardians of children who require special developmental support for physical, mental or other reasons can apply to the preschool authority for dispensation regarding extended attendance.
The application for dispensation is handled in conjunction with the preschool’s pupil support.
7. Notify changes in needs
If the child’s need for attendance time changes, parents are obliged to notify this immediately.
8. Termination of place
If you no longer require a place, you must notify this in writing to the Youth and Education Administration at the latest one month before the child is due to leave.
The notice period is calculated from the day on which the written notice of termination is received by the Youth and Education Administration. Preschool fees must be paid throughout the notice period, irrespective of whether the place is used or not.
When moving to another municipality, the place may be held in Huddinge for a maximum of two months, calculated from the moving date.
A place in preschool or educational care may not be held when the child has not utilised the place for a consecutive period of two months.
If special reasons exist, for example if the child has suffered a long-term illness or the parents need to work in a different location for an extended period, the preschool authority may grant an exemption from that stated in the previous paragraph, following an application from the parents. The preschool fee must be paid irrespective of whether the place is used or not.
If the place is give up before the placement has commenced, no notice period will be calculated.
9. Reapplication for place
If a new application for a place is made before the notice period has expired, this will be viewed as a withdrawal of the notice of termination.
10. Children of parents on parental leave
Children of parents who are on parental leave are entitled to 3 hours of preschool per day, or 15 hours per week (in weeks without public holidays).
The arrangement of the attendance time is decided by the head of the preschool, in consultation with the operational manager. The wishes of parents form part of the basis for the decision by the preschool head.
The place may be utilised according to the previously agreed time for up to 14 calendar days after the birth or adoption of the sibling without a specific decision.
11. Children of unemployed parents
Children of parents who are or become unemployed are entitled to 3 hours of preschool per day, or 15 hours per week (in weeks without public holidays) for as long as the unemployment lasts.
The arrangement of the attendance time is decided by the head of the preschool, in consultation with the operational manager. The wishes of parents form part of the basis for the decision by the preschool head.
For children who have a place in preschool or educational care, that stated in the first paragraph in the individual case is applied from the start of the month immediately after the unemployment begins.
12. Fees
Fees are charged for places in preschool or educational care, according to the tariff determined by the municipal council. The fee must be paid 12 months a year.
If the fee is not paid in accordance with the first paragraph after it has fallen due for payment, the municipality will send a written payment reminder to the guardian/parent. The guardian/parent is obliged to pay compensation for this payment reminder at the amount specified in the Ordinance on Compensation for Debt Recovery Costs, etc. (1981:1057). If the fee is still not paid, a final demand is sent. The municipality may terminate the place if the charged fees have not been paid.