Daycare fees and applying in Helsinki
There are almost 20 private Pilke daycare centres around Helsinki, and you can find information and contact details for them all here.
Families can choose which daycare centre to apply to. Families in Helsinki can apply for Kela’s private daycare allowance to help with the costs of private daycare fees.
Each daycare centre’s own webpage explains how to apply for a place at the daycare centre in question and outlines customer fees, sibling discounts, etc.
Almost all of our daycare centres provide 4 hours of free early childhood education and care for 5-year-olds, and the City of Helsinki also provides 160 euros in support to families with 5-year-old children.
Read more about daycare centre prices and how to apply to a daycare centre in Helsinki:
How to apply for a daycare place at a Pilke daycare centre in Helsinki
1.When it’s time to apply for a daycare place, read more about our daycare centres in Helsinki here.
Although there is high demand in many areas, it is possible to get a daycare place at very short notice. If there aren’t any places currently available at the daycare centre of your choice, you can apply to be on a waiting list. The situation at our daycare centres can sometimes change quite rapidly, and we then offer any places that become available to families on the waiting list.
2.Contact a daycare centre manager to arrange an introductory visit; you can find the contact details on the webpage for the daycare centre in question
3.Fill out and send a daycare centre application form to Pilke
The application is quick and easy to do, and takes just a few minutes. You don’t need to attach any files to the application, just fill out:
- your child’s information
- your contact details
- parents’/guardians’ information
- the need for care (full-time, part-time, preschool education, other)
- preferred start date:
- any additional information (allergies, any particular requests or notes)
Sending a daycare application is not binding. We will make a service agreement when you accept an offered daycare place.
4.Once you have sent the application, the daycare centre manager will contact you within 2 business days to provide you with additional information about the daycare centre. You will be able to ask more questions about e.g. support for customer fees and how to apply for a service voucher for early childhood education and care or for Kela’s private daycare allowance.
5.Apply for Kela’s private daycare allowance
Kela’s private daycare allowance in Helsinki
Families can choose which daycare centre they apply to.
Helsinki uses Kela’s private daycare allowance, which covers the costs of private daycare for families. Private daycare allowance comprises a statutory care allowance, a care supplement which is tied to income, and an additional Helsinki supplement. More information can be found on the City of Helsinki’s website.
How much does daycare cost?
The price of our daycare centres, i.e. customer fees, in Helsinki is determined by private daycare allowance awarded by Kela, the age of the child, and the amount of time spent at daycare.
- You can ask the daycare centre manager directly for the total daycare fees for the daycare centre in question so that you can use Kela’s calculator. Contact information for daycare centres can be found here.
- In practice, the family pays a deductible as a customer fee for daycare, and Kela pays private daycare allowance directly to Pilke.
- The customer fee is reduced by any income-based additional supplement; check Kela’s new income thresholds here.
Check the daycare centre’s webpages for detailed pricing information. You can find the prices for Luonnossa kotonaan (At Home in Nature) daycare centres here.
How can I apply for private daycare allowance?
Private daycare allowance is awarded by Kela. Read Kela’s instructions on how to apply for private daycare allowance here.
- You can apply for private daycare allowance as soon as your child has received a daycare place and you have made a service agreement with Pilke.
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