Early childhood education and care affects children’s learning abilities, linguistic capabilities and the creation of a safe everyday life. Early childhood education and care is effective for learning Finnish and Swedish. Municipalities are encouraged to provide early childhood education and care for children within the scope of temporary protection.
Some children within the scope of temporary protection obtain a municipality of residence in Finland directly, if the child’s family member has been issued a municipality of residence in Finland. These children have a subjective right to municipal early childhood education and care.
Children within the scope of temporary protection or seeking asylum are entitled to early childhood education provided by the municipality in cases where the child’s parent or other guardian is employed or is enrolled in studies or for some other similar reason. Early childhood education and care must also be provided in urgent situations or when circumstances make it otherwise necessary. However, the best interests of the child must always be a primary consideration in the provision of early childhood education and care, and the provision of early childhood education and care must be based on an individual assessment of the child’s needs.
Municipalities have a duty to provide advice and guidance on the services in early childhood education and care available in their municipality.
Once asylum has been granted to a family and a child, the child has the same right to municipal early childhood education and care as other children whose place of residence is in Finland.