Families can choose eight free holiday weeks in early childhood education and care during the summer

Families can have a continuous eight-week holiday period between 5 June and 27 August 2023. The Education and Culture Committee decided on the matter on 21 March 2023. Each year, approximately 2,000–2,700 children have used the free periods.

The free period is conditional on the child being in municipal early childhood education and care for at least a full operating year, that is, every month since 31 August 2022. Eligibility for the free period requires that the child is continuously absent from early childhood education and care services for eight (8) full calendar weeks during the period between 5 June and 27 August 2023. The child’s care relationship in paid early childhood education and care lasts for the entire period of absence.

The family must submit a written notification of the free period to the child’s place of care or report the period electronically through the early childhood education and care online service no later than 28 April 2023. Registration for the summer’s free periods begins in April, and families will receive a separate notification of it.

Families who have selected the daycare place guarantee can choose a free summer period if the above conditions are met and the care relationship preceding the daycare place guarantee has started before 1 September 2022.

Children starting first grade in autumn 2023 are not eligible for free summer periods.

Free periods also available for children in pre-primary education under certain conditions

In 2023, the free period of July is also available for children of pre-primary education age who use early childhood education and care services in July. For children participating in club activities that complement pre-primary education, early childhood education and care in July is free if all the following conditions are met:

• the child of pre-primary education age has participated in either Eppu club activities complementing pre-primary education or part-time early childhood education and care in a manner that a continuous care relationship has started before 1 September 2022.
• the child of pre-primary education age has had a need for care and has participated in either summer club activities or an early childhood education and care service in June 2023.
• the child has a need for care in July 2023.