Slovenia has a single structure of preschool education system providing comprehensive education and care (educare) for children aged one to six (more precisely, from the end of maternity leave to the child's entering compulsory school). It is offered mostly by public preschool institutions (vrtci). Preschool education is a part of the whole system…

This contribution from France is based on recently-published documents and in particular on the "Report on the Public Infancy Service for Early Childhood," published in February 2007 by a department of the Prime Minister's Office, the Centre of Strategic Analysis, Social Affairs Section and "Early Childhood Education and Care, a…

Dutch child care can be described as organized provision with care, guidance and additional education for children from 0-16 years old, by other people than parents or guardians in a way that is adapted to the space of twenty-four hours and the age of children and to the needs of parents or guardians. Child care in the Netherlands is characterized…

In Poland centre-based education and care for children from birth to the age of entry into compulsory school education, i.e. 7 years, is provided in creches ("zlobki") for children aged 0-3 years and in nursery schools ("przedszkola") for children from 3 years of age to the age of entry into primary school. Creches are part of…

The policies adopted by the public authorities in the German-speaking Community to promote the education and care of young children below compulsory school age are not aimed directly via targeted measures at groups of young children considered to be "at risk," but rather at covering all young children and providing their families with…