WHO SAID THE TWOS WERE TERRIBLE?

Pre-school education can cost an average annual salary in some countries. For many internationals, therefore, it is with unbridled joy that they learn that 50 percent of the costs of the vuggestue, daycare for infants up to the age of three, are subsidised by the local municipality. Suddenly the twos are more tired-out than terrible!

The subsidy then rises to around 70 percent once they head to the børnehave (typically 2.5-3.5), where they stay until they are six.

Daycare Facilities

The development of the child is prioritised very highly, so as well as providing a safe environment for childcare, the institutions co-operate with parents to support the development of the individual’s selfesteem. All children under the age of six are legally entitled to attend a daycare facility.

The local authority is obliged to provide facilities for any child aged 26 weeks and up to school age. These can be organised in various ways – either as local-authority child-minding, local-authority daycare centres, independent daycare centres, private child-minding, or an approved private daycare centre.

When a child is admitted to a daycare facility through local authority allocation, the local council subsidises the cost of the child’s place, and the parents make up the difference. There is also a sibling discount if more than one child in a household is in the same institution.

If parents want their child to attend an approved private daycare centre, they may be able to obtain a financial subsidy to pay for the place. There is also the possibility of obtaining an aided-place subsidy if the parental income is below a certain level.

CHILD-MINDING IN PRIVATE HOMES

In the local-authority regime, child-minding takes place in a private home and a childminder can take care of up to five children. Children are assigned to individual childminders by the local authority. If two or more child-minders work together, they may be permitted to look after up to ten children.

There are also private child-minders whose work is governed by an operating agreement between them and the local authority. The local authority subsidises the individual child and supervises the scheme.

Daycare Centres

These are institutions such as crèches, nursery schools and age-integrated institutions. They cater for children from birth to school age. They can either be run by the local authority or by private individuals.

Independent daycare centres are owned and run by private individuals under the terms of an agreement with the local authority. They are subject to local authority supervision and receive subsidies from the local authority to cover its costs.

Approved private daycare centres must be licensed by the local authority. However, the centres themselves decide who to admit and children are not referred to them by the local authority. They also receive a local authority subsidy per child.

In agreement with the local authority, daycare centres can be operated as outsourced daycare centres. These institutions must comply with the same requirements as the local authority daycare centres.

Educational Requirements

Since 2004, there has been a legal obligation for all daycare facilities to develop and implement an educational curriculum. There are two prongs – one for children up to 2 years old and one for children aged 3 up until they start school.

The curriculum sets out the goals for the daycare facility regarding what the children should be learning. It also as describes the methods and activities used to attain these goals and includes a methodology for evaluating the curriculum.

Six themes have been highlighted as follows:

1. The comprehensive personal development of the child

2. Social competencies

3. Language

4. Body and motion

5. Nature and natural phenomena

6. Cultural expressions and values

International Options

A number of institutions offer English-language daycare. Below is a selection:

Børnebyen Vandværket, which is near Vesterport Station, offers nursery (0-3) to 12 children and kindergarten (3-6) care to 24.

Idrætsinstitutionen Bavnehøj, which is the Sydvest district near Enghavevej, offers kindergarten care with a focus on physical education to 24 children.

Sunrise International Preschool on Norgesmindevej in Hellerup caters to children aged 2-6 at a location that is respectful to other people, animals and the environment.

Stepping Stone on Ehlersvej in Hellerup is located in a charming manor house it offers a ‘home away from home’ to its young charges.

The International Montessori School on Dyregårdsvej in Skovlunde is accepting preschool infants (2.5-6) from this autumn (see more on page 5).

lobal MindsetGlobal EducationGlobal Life

• We welcome students from ages 3 to 19

• We offer the full continuum of International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes: PYP, MYP and DP, as well as Pre-K

• We deliver an excellent, well-rounded education in a caring and supportive learning environment

• We offer exciting trips, extra-curricular activities and many more activities beyond the classroom

• We have Morning Club and After School Care

• We are affordable and offer scholarships

• Our teachers are passionate and highly qualified

• We pride ourselves on fostering reflective and purposeful learners, as well as responsible global citizens

• We are considerate, form warm relationships, and build and nurture our ISH Community

The International School of Hellerup is a Not-For-Profit IB World School with over 600 students representing more than 70 nationalities from around the world.

Find out more about ISH, book a visit or contact us at + 45 70 20 63 68 I info@ish.dk I www.ish.dk