1. Integration of Education and Care in ECEC
Integration at the System Level/ Finland as Example OECD Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) Network 7 December 2009 Tarja Kahiluoto Ministerial Adviser
Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
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3. Care leave & home care allowance Private care allowance
2.Child care and early education alternatives
After Parental Leave
Parents choose
Care leave & home care allowance
Private care allowance
Municipal day care
Morning and
afternoon activities
for school children
Pre-school for
6-year-old children
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4. 3. Aspects of Integration in Finland
Policy Goals
Administration
Legal Framework
Delivery of services; access, age 0-6, forms of services, ratios, qualifications, fees
Curriculum
Funding
integration in all aspects
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5. 4. Brief History of ECEC in Finland
Kindergartens already from 1860´s; early education at focus
Also creches from 1860; care at focus; for low income families/single mothers who had to work
EDUCARE ideology; socio-pedagogical kindergartens with Fröbel´s methods of upbringing from 1880´s
At the system level the Day Care Act from 1973 integrated the different forms of kindergarten and creches as day care
Day care could be organised in day care centres or as family day care
The Day Care Act obligated the municipalities to provide day care in accordance with local needs.
Early education and care for all in need
Women´s participation in the labour market as main force
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6. 5. Focal points in the development
1973 the Day Care Act
1990 the right for day care for all children under 3
1996 the right for all children under school age
universal services
2000 Pre-School reform –
pre-school education free off charge for 6-year-old children
From 2001 August every municipality had to offer pre-school education for 6-year-old children, 700 hours/year
2004 Morning and afternoon activities for school children
targeted to children at 1-2 grades and all children with special needs
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7. 6. Policy goals of ECEC services
Social policy
equal opportunities for all children
equal opportunities for women and men
early prevention
Employment policy
both parents work, most full-time; need for good-quality services
Educational policy
early education of all children
All these tasks are present and relevant;
during years the stress has differed between these policy goals
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8. 7. Goal of ECEC in Finland An integrated system: care + education
To provide day care
To offer goal-oriented
early childhood education
for children
0 – 6- year- old - children
Photo Päivi Lindberg
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9. Ministry of Social Affairs and Health State Provincial Offices
8. ECEC Administration and Steering
Parliament
Council of State
Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
Ministry of Education
National Institute for Health and Welfare
National Board of Education
Core Curriculum for Pre-School Education
Principles in Pupils´ Morning and Afternoon Activities
National Curriculum Guidelines on ECEC
State Provincial Offices
Municipality
Board on Social Affaires
Board on Education Affaires
etc.
Services Day Care, Pre-School, School, Open ECEC Services etc.
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10. 9. Decentralised style of regulation
Reforming the steering policy in the early 1990s has decreased Government steering by norms and increased the autonomy of the municipalities
Change from steering by norms to steering by information
Municipalities are responsible for the implementation of the services in their own localities
332 municipalities in continental Finland in 2009
Child day care is however, steered by a number of acts and decrees, eg.
- Access to day care is an universal right; regulations on educational goals, staff-child ratio, staff qualifications and client fees in day care,
Also pre-school education is regulated
- Access to pre-school education for 6-year-old children is a right; regulations on staff qualification, recommendation on maximum group size, no client fees
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11. 10. Curriculum Process
First national steering document for ECEC from 1980 – educational goals added to the Day Care Act
Planning documents for early education and pre-school education from the 1990´s
Big curriculum reform started as a result of the Pre-School reform
National Core Curriculum for Pre-school Education 2000
Pressure to develop and define the pedagogy of younger children
Government Resolution Concerning the National Policy Definition on Early Childhood Education and Care 2002
National Curriculum Guidelines on ECEC in Finland 2003, revised 2005
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12. 11. National Curriculum Guidelines on ECEC in Finland
Based on National Policy Definitions, : ’A national plan is needed for steering the content and quality of ECEC’
Made by National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health in an open dialogue
Introduced 2003, reviewed 2005
Framework curriculum
Lays down the objectives and principles for ECEC
Aims to promote the provision of ECEC on equal terms throughout the country
A recommendation for municipalities
Provides the basis for municipal and unit based curriculum and individual plans
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13. 12. National Curriculum Guidelines on ECEC
Well-being of the child at focus
Pedagogy: care, education and teaching integrated as a whole
What is meaningful and characteristic for children
The team of educators – multi-professional communities
Process aims: Goals to the work of educators and the environment
Content orientations - no performance requirements for children
ECEC partnership: participation and empowerment of families
Inclusive perspective to special needs
Appreciation of different language and cultural backgrounds
Continuity between ECEC and school
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14. 13. National Core Curriculum for Pre-school Education
to improve children's learning conditions
to smooth out individual differences in children's
readiness to start school
To learn through play
Child-centered approach: guiding education
Core themes: language and interaction, mathematics, ethics and philosophy, environmental and natural studies, health, physical and motor development, art and culture
Socio-constructivist learning conception – the active role of the child and child participation is important
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15. 14. Funding ECEC services, 2008
State subsidies for day care services, about 33 % of costs
State subsidy for pre-school education 42 % of costs
Local tax revenues and
Client fees, about 14 % of day care costs
One day care place/ child/ year = about €
Pre-school education / child / year about €
Total expenditure for day care for 0-6-year-old children and pre- school education for 6-year-old children is about 1,1 % of GDP
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16. 15. Staff Qualifications in Day care Centres
At least a vocational qualification in the field of social welfare and health care is required
One in three of the staff must
have a higher education level degree
(Bachelor of Education,
Master of Education or
Bachelor of Social Services)
Photo Päivi Lindberg
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17. 16. Staff Qualifications in Family Day care
The family child minder is required to have a suitable education
Qualification for Family Child Minders, from 2000
This competence based vocational qualification is recommended
Exception: in group family day care with 3 child minders one minder shall have a suitable vocational qualification.
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18. 17. Staff Qualifications in Pre-School
-         Kindergarten teachers with university qualifications (lower university dergrees, bachelor of Education,
-         Pre-primary school teachers with a higher university degree, about 5 years,
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19. 18. Adult-child ratios Day care centres
one to seven for children 3-6 years (full-time)
one to thirteen for children 3-6 years (part-time)
one to four for children under 3 years (full/part time)
Family day care
one to four, including minders own children
one part time pre-school or school-aged child
In pre-school education maximum group-size 20 recommendation
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20. 19. Client Fees in Day Care
Fees are based on the size and income of the family
Maximum fee 233 €/ child/month
Maximum fee for the second child 210 €/month
For each additional child 46,6 €/month
Free off charge for low income families
Client fees cover about 14 % of day care costs
All necessary meals are included
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21. Children in Municipal and Private Day Care, 2008, % of children
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22. Care arrangements of children, 2008 Children under 7
Private daycare
allowance
4,3 %
Municipal
daycare centre
36,4 %
family daycare
12,4 %
Other
10,4 %
Child
home
care
23,9%
Parenthood
12,6 %
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23. Care arrangements of children, 2008 Children under 3
Child home care
allowance
38,6 %
Municipal
daycare centre
15,0 %
Other
4,1 %
Private
daycare
2,5 %
family daycare
10,9 %
Parenthood
29,0 %
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24. Care arrangements of children, 2008 Children under 3-6
Municipal
daycare centre
53,0 %
family daycare
13,5 %
Other
15,2 %
Private daycare
allowance
5,7 %
Child home care
12,6 %
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25. Trends in children´s day care places 1970 - 2008
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