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The early childhood education plan of the municipality of Kihniö is based on the Early Childhood Education Plan and the Early Childhood Education Act prepared by the Finnish National Board of Education, and was adopted in August 2017. The early childhood education plan has been prepared as a plan that jointly guides the work of different forms of activity.

The basis for the early childhood education plan determines the key objectives and content of the implementation of early childhood education, the cooperation between the early childhood education provider and the children's guardians, multidisciplinary cooperation, and the content of the child's early childhood education plan.

The Basics of the Early Childhood Education Plan is a legally binding regulation for early childhood education providers.

The Kihniö municipality's early childhood education plan defines, guides and supports the organisation of early childhood education locally. The plan was drawn up taking into account local specificities, pedagogical emphases, children's needs and the results of evaluation data and development work on early childhood education.

The value foundation of Kihniö's early childhood education plan is based on a survey conducted among guardians, children, and early childhood education staff.

The most important things are consideration for others, a positive self-image and a well-being of the child. In addition, listening to the child, playing and accepting differences are also important. A safe learning environment is also felt to be important, including clear boundaries, safe adults and a positive atmosphere.

Kihniö early childhood education reflects the participation of children, which is realized in everyday life as the child's opportunity to influence matters that concern him or her and to receive positive feedback on a daily basis. Cooperation with guardians is important and is implemented in equal encounters on a daily basis. The goal is that guardians and staff commit to working together for the best interests of the child's growth, development and learning. The convictions of the child and the family are respected and taken into account in early childhood education activities.

In addition, a personal early childhood education plan is drawn up for each child in daycare and family daycare. The child's early childhood education plan must be based on the child's best interests and needs.

The goals recorded in the plan are set for pedagogical activities. The child's early childhood education plan is drawn up after the child starts kindergarten or family day care. The staff draws up the plan in cooperation with the guardian. The child's opinion and wishes must be clarified and taken into account in the plan. The staff is responsible for finding suitable ways to clarify the child's points of view. The goals arising from the children's early childhood education plans are taken into account in the planning of the children's group's activities and in the development of learning environments.

Children's early childhood education plans also form the basis for the group's early childhood education plan, or group responsibility. Group responsibility is used to plan the group's activities in a way that takes into account the child's learning concepts and diverse working methods. In addition, the personal goals that emerge from the children's early childhood education plans are reflected in the group's activities.

In Kihniö early childhood education, the starting point for organizing support is the child's learning and development-related needs and strengths. When a child is identified as needing support, this is responded to sensitively by assessing the support. In this case, in addition to support measures, the child's personal guidance and multidisciplinary cooperation are emphasized. In the assessment and planning of a child's special support, psychological or medical studies are often utilized as a basis for organizing pedagogical support. It is important that the child's need for support is assessed in a planned manner, regularly and with documentation. Based on the observations and assessment, the activities of the children's group are planned. Effective practices for different interaction situations and activities are agreed upon among the educators.

The expertise of early childhood education special education teachers (VEO) is utilized in the early identification of a child's individual support needs, in assessing the need for separate examinations, and in planning the organization of support measures. It is important to work in cooperation with parents and possible experts working with the child and family.

Parents of children under school age can choose home care allowance as an alternative to municipal day care if the family has a child under 3 years old who is not in day care organized by the municipality. Home care allowance is also paid for the family's other children under school age who are cared for in the same way.

The child's caregiver may also be someone other than the child's mother or father. The benefit can be granted immediately after the end of the parental benefit period. It is not paid for a period shorter than one month. The beneficiary must notify Kela immediately if the child's care arrangements or family income change, so that the benefit can be paid on the correct basis.

Applying for home care support From the reelFor more information, contact Kela's benefit advice, tel. 020 692 206.

Private care allowance is paid if the family's child under school age is cared for by a private early childhood education service provider approved by the municipality.

The child may be receiving treatment for:

• in a private kindergarten
• in private group family daycare
• with a private family daycare provider or
• in their own home, if the parents hire a private nanny for the child's home with an employment contract lasting at least one month. More information From the reel.

Private childcare support includes a childcare allowance and a childcare supplement based on the family's income. Private childcare support is applied for From the reel, where you can also find more information. Private care support is paid to the service provider. Carers pay the private care provider a client fee according to their mutual agreement.

The Early Childhood Education Customer Fees Act (1503/2016) provides for fees charged in daycare and family daycare provided by municipalities. The Early Childhood Education Customer Fees Act does not apply to privately provided early childhood education.

The customer fee charged for early childhood education is determined by the family size and income, as well as the number of days of care reserved for the child.

When determining the fee for early childhood education, the taxable earned and capital income and tax-exempt income of the child, his or her parent or other guardian, and of the person living with them in a joint household, in marriage or in marriage-like circumstances, are taken into account as income.

As of the beginning of March 2023, following an index review based on the Customer Fees Act, the maximum fee charged for early childhood education is 295 euros and the lowest fee charged is 27 euros. The fee charged for the second child is a maximum of 40 percent of the first child's fee, i.e. a maximum of 118 euros. The fee for subsequent children is 20 percent of the youngest child's fee.

If a child is in early childhood education for a maximum of 20 hours per week, the monthly fee is a maximum of 60 percent of the full-time fee. If early childhood education lasts an average of at least 35 hours per week, the full-time early childhood education fee may be charged as a monthly fee. If early childhood education lasts more than 20 hours but less than 35 hours per week, the municipality must charge a fee that is proportional to the early childhood education time.

The Kihniö Municipal Council decided at its meeting in December 2022 that early childhood education in Kihniö will be free of charge for the years 2023-2024.

The starting point for organizing support is the child's strengths and needs related to learning, development and well-being. In early childhood education, support is structured to meet the child's individual needs. The support a child needs is always provided as part of a peer group. In early childhood education, care is taken to ensure that each child feels accepted as an individual and as a member of the group. Encouraging the child and giving them opportunities to experience success supports the development of a child's positive self-image.

The support is based on the group's high-quality pedagogy. The child's individual needs are taken into account through various everyday arrangements and working methods, for example, a clear daily schedule, modification of learning environments, flexible group modifications and systematic differentiation of activities.