Supervision of early childhood education and care
The Finnish Supervisory Agency supervises early childhood education and care organised and delivered by local authorities and private early childhood education and care services.
We carry out supervision primarily by providing the organisers and providers of early childhood education and care with the necessary guidance and advice aimed at high-quality early childhood education and care in accordance with legislation. An anticipatory and goal-oriented guidance visit can have a positive impact on the activities and compliance with regulations. If problems and shortcomings are detected, the matter will be investigated by requesting information or conducting an inspection visit to the reported site.
Enforcement programme for early childhood education and care
The enforcement programme describes the key principles of the supervision of early childhood education and care and the norms and operating methods governing the activities. It also defines specific annual focus areas at which anticipatory guidance and advice will be targeted, in particular. The starting point for the enforcement programme has been the transition to increasingly proactive supervision methods and a stronger client-centred approach in supervision. The supervisory authorities specified in the Act on Early Childhood Education and Care must therefore implement supervision by primarily providing the organiser of early childhood education and care with the necessary advice and guidance. The aim of diverse advice and guidance is to ensure high-quality early childhood education and care and to reduce the number of objections and complaints concerning early childhood education and care. The enforcement programme is updated annually.
Initiation of an enforcement case
An enforcement case may be initiated by an observation made by us, a complaint or a notification. When we start processing an enforcement case, we obtain reports that we deem necessary and send a request for information to the unit subject to enforcement. We may also carry out an inspection visit.
When we have received the reports, we will assess whether the activities of the subject of enforcement are somehow illegal or inappropriate and should be corrected. After receiving the reports, we will make a decision or request further information. The decision states whether something illegal or inappropriate has been discovered in the matter. The decision also contains guidance for correcting the activities. A decision issued as a result of enforcement guides the organiser of early childhood education and care to rectify the shortcomings or deficiencies in their activities.
Self-monitoring plan
A private service provider must draw up a self-monitoring plan to ensure the appropriateness of its early childhood education and care activities. The preparation of a written self-monitoring plan is a statutory obligation for private providers of early childhood education and care services. The preparation of a self-monitoring plan is also recommended for public service providers.
The self-monitoring plan describes the procedures planned to ensure and improve client safety and quality in early childhood education and care and the documents used in it. The self-monitoring plan is a public document which must be displayed in the unit for client families and other interested parties to see. The implementation of self-monitoring is monitored, and the up-to-dateness of the self-monitoring plan must be checked regularly.
The Finnish Supervisory Agency has issued a regulation on the content, preparation and follow-up of the self-monitoring plan. The Finnish Supervisory Agency guides and oversees the preparation of self-monitoring plans. In addition to the Finnish Supervisory Agency, local authorities also oversee the preparation of self-monitoring plans of private service providers and private home-based childcare practitioners.
In a decision that we issue on an enforcement case, we may
- state that the conduct of the subject of enforcement has been legal
- draw the attention of the subject of enforcement to its conduct so that it will be in compliance with the law or good governance
- issue an admonition with regard to future activities
- order the subject of enforcement to make changes.
A new service provider must already draw up applicable parts of the self-monitoring plan before starting its operations. In this case, the plan must include the basic details of the unit and outline the guiding principles for the operations.
A private home-based childcare practitioner must fill in applicable parts of the self-monitoring plan and present it to an official from the local authority before starting the operations.
When applying for a permit for daycare centre activities, a private daycare centre must complete applicable parts of the self-monitoring plan and present it to an official from the local authority in connection with the inspection of the premises. In the statement given to the permit authority, the official indicates that the self-monitoring plan has been seen.
A service provider must prepare a self-monitoring plan in cooperation with its staff within three months of starting the operations.
The obligation to draw up a self-monitoring plan also applies to private home-based childcare practitioners.
A written self-monitoring plan is not required for club activities. However, from the perspective of the supervisory authority, it is always advisable to draw up a written self-monitoring plan.
The Act on Early Childhood Education and Care obligates only private service providers to draw up a written self-monitoring plan. However, from the perspective of the supervisory authority, both private and public service providers have the duty to ensure that the service is provided safely and with high quality. For this reason, the Finnish Supervisory Agency recommends that all early childhood education and care units draw up a written self-monitoring plan. Other authorities (e.g., the health protection authority) may also require municipal early childhood education and care to prepare a self-monitoring plan.
The law does not contain more specific provisions on how the plan should be displayed to the public. The minimum requirement is that the self-monitoring plan is displayed at the unit in such a manner that client families and other interested parties can familiarise themselves with it without having to separately request it. Service providers often place their self-monitoring plan on their website, which communicates about the openness of their activities and supports client families in making their choice. Local authorities have also offered service providers the opportunity to link their self-monitoring plan to the internet.
Contact information
General customer service of the Finnish Supervisory Agency
Ask our customer service by using service form
By e-mail: [email protected]
By calling: +358 295 256 910 (Monday–Friday 9:00–15:00)