Childcare
Childcare in Åland includes day care centres with preschool and morning and afternoon activities. For those of you who stay at home with your child, there are playground groups and activities arranged by Folkhälsan.
Day care for everyone
All guardians of children who are residents of Åland have the right to municipal childcare in day care or family day care. Submit an application to your municipality no later than four months before the child needs a spot.
If the need for childcare is due to work, study or education, and it is not possible to predict when the need will arise, you should submit your application as soon as possible. However, no later than two weeks before the child needs the place.
There are day care centres for children aged 1–7 in each municipality. Contact your municipality for more information about the municipality’s day care centres.
Right to preschool
The year before the child starts primary school, the child is entitled to at least 20 hours per week of childcare with preschool (school preparation activities). The objectives and guidelines for how preschool is to be conducted can be found in the preschool program. Each day care centre must show in a work plan how activities are planned and will be carried out.
Morning and afternoon activities
Morning and afternoon activities are organised by the municipalities, usually in special “eftis” or “föris” groups in direct connection with the school. Morning and afternoon activities are not a subjective right in the same way as other childcare in Åland. The availability of spots also varies from municipality to municipality.
Information about preschool and morning and afternoon activities can be obtained from your municipality in Åland.
Staying home with children
If you do not work or study and are at home with children, there are activities you can participate in. Here, children can play with other children, and you can meet other adults.
In several municipalities, Folkhälsan organises playground groups where children (2–5 years) can be supervised a maximum of 3 hours a day. The playgrounds are outdoors.
Folkhälsan also arranges Family Café indoors.
Contact Folkhälsan for more information about playground groups and Family Café.
Other activities for children
Folkhälsan in Åland provides many activities focused on children and families. Also, contact your library or church congregation to see what activities they arrange.
You can also apply for membership in the Facebook group “Utelek i Parken, barn och föräldrar” (Outdoor play in the park, children and parents) (information in Swedish).
