Applying for a service voucher day-care centre place = service voucher application

The guardian can use the same application to apply for a service voucher day-care centre as they would use for municipal early childhood education or club activities. 

The guardian applies for a place in a service voucher day-care centre by logging in with strong authentication in eVaka(external link)

1. Explore the service voucher day-care centres in your area on this page under: Approved service voucher day-care centres and their additional fees.
2. Apply for an early childhood education place by logging in with strong authentication (online banking credentials)  eVaka (external link)
3. When filling in the application, select under ‘Preferred units’ the service voucher day-care centre that you prefer.  
4. After submitting the application, please contact the service voucher day-care centre you are applying for. In addition, check whether the day-care centre has its own early childhood education application.  
5. Wait for a day-care centre place decision from the City of Espoo. You cannot conclude a service agreement with the service voucher day-care centre before you have the city’s decision.
6. In the year of pre-primary education, the child is entitled to 20 weekly hours of free pre-primary education. If the child needs early childhood education in addition to this, the guardian must apply for it with the pre-primary education application.

1. You will receive the decision on the service voucher at least one month before early childhood education begins. Decisions will be available in the Suomi.fi service, if the service has been activated. Otherwise, the information will be sent by post. You will receive an email informing you of the decision if you have provided an email address. 
2. Go to espoonvarhaiskasvatus.fi to accept/reject the service voucher place decision.
3. Once you have accepted a place at a service voucher day-care centre, conclude an agreement on the early childhood education of your child with the day-care centre. Make sure that the agreement includes your child’s early childhood education details:

• early childhood education schedule (hours/week), full-time or part-time early childhood education
• the total price of early childhood education and the euro amount of any additional fees/price ceiling, at maximum 50 euros per month
• early childhood education place notice period/rules
• possible exceptions, for example regarding July (opening of the unit or arranging of early childhood education in another unit in July, whether the copayment/client fee is paid for 11 or 12 months).

The service voucher for early childhood education is income-related, such as the client fee for early childhood education.

The copayment paid by the guardians is the same as in municipal early childhood education, i.e. 0–295 euros per month + any additional fees charged by the unit, at maximum 50 euros per month.

The guardians will receive a decision on the value of the service voucher during the first month of early childhood education.

The child-specific value of the service voucher is determined by the child’s age, family size and gross income and by the child’s weekly early childhood education schedule as agreed in the service agreement between the family and day-care centre.

The sibling discount used in municipal early childhood education also applies to the service voucher. The copayment of the service voucher to be paid by the family is calculated based on these criteria. It corresponds to the client fee of municipal early childhood education.

The City of Espoo recommends that the service provider charges the client’s copayment for a maximum of 11 months per year. Please contact the service provider directly for more detailed information on possible compensation practices.

In Espoo, the service voucher is granted at maximum to the end of July (31 July) in the year when compulsory pre-primary education of the child begins.

In order for the early childhood education services to determine the value of the service voucher the guardians need to make an income statement. There is no need to provide income information if you have indicated in the application that you agree to the highest copayment (client fee). Check the instruction on how to make the income statement here.

Always remember to notify the service voucher day-care centre and the City of Espoo Growth and Learning Sector, Financial Administration (P.O. Box 30, FI-02070 City of Espoo) of any changes in your child’s early childhood education, such as changes in family size, income or your child’s early childhood education schedule. Changes in your child’s early childhood education schedule (full-time or part-time early childhood education) are always agreed for at least three months.  

Counselling regarding the value decision of the service voucher on Mon, Wed and Thu at 9–12, tel. +358 9 81627401

1. Always inform the termination of your child’s early childhood education place to the early childhood education unit/service provider. Take into account the notice period indicated in the agreement you have concluded with the service provider. The service provider has the right to charge the client’s copayment (client fee) and additional fees according to the notice rules of the agreement. 

The service provider will immediately notify the City of Espoo of the termination of the client relationship.  

2. Inform the City of Espoo if you are moving to another municipality, because the City of Espoo’s service vouchers are only for children living in Espoo.

1. The service voucher is paid for a child entitled to early childhood education. When using the service voucher, you cannot simultaneously receive private day-care allowance or home care allowance or use municipal early childhood education services.  
2. If you are dissatisfied with the early childhood education service provided to you or have any comments about it, always talk to the director of the day-care centre or service provider first. If things cannot be resolved through discussions, you can contact the City of Espoo’s service area district manager or specialist. You can also file an objection or complaint. You can read more detailed instructions in Finnish from the Varhaiskasvatuksen palvelusetelisääntökirja (external link)

How and with what application can I apply for a service voucher for early childhood education?

Answer: You can apply for a service voucher with the same application and in the same way as you would apply for a place in early childhood education. Under the application section “Preferred units”, select the service voucher unit to which you want to apply. The same application is your service voucher application. Decisions on service vouchers are made by early childhood education service counselling. Before making a decision, the staff will check that your child’s municipality of residence is Espoo.

Can I apply to several service voucher day care centres?

Answer: Guardians can select 1–3 preferred day care centres in their application. The preferred units can be service voucher and/or municipal day care centres. The service counselling team will make a decision based on the guardian’s wishes if there are places available in the preferred day care centre.

Do I need to select a municipal day care centre as a preferred unit?

Answer: Guardians can select 1–3 preferred day care centres in their application. The preferred units can be service voucher and/or municipal day care centres. You do not need to select a municipal day care centre.

I am unable to submit a service voucher application as I have already applied for a place in municipal early childhood education for my child. What should I do?

Answer: You can edit your existing application and add or remove preferred units.

Can a child attend part-time early childhood education with a service voucher?

Answer: A child can attend part-time early childhood education at a municipal or service voucher day care centre.

Can a service voucher be granted if we also receive child home care allowance or private day care allowance?

Answer: The service voucher is equivalent to early childhood education organised by a municipality under section 5 of the Act on Early Childhood Education and Care. For this reason, a family cannot have a service voucher while receiving child home care allowance or private day care allowance.

How do I accept a service voucher decision on the eVaka service?

Answer: You will be informed of a decision through the Suomi.fi service if you have activated the service. The decision will be sent to the guardian who submitted the application. If the guardian has not activated the Suomi.fi service, the decision will be sent to their home address by post.

You can accept the service voucher decision through eVaka or by returning the form sent with the decision to the day care centre. This is how you will confirm a place for your child at the day care centre, and a decision will then be made on the value of the service voucher.

What is the value of a service voucher? How much will our family pay?

Answer: The service voucher for early childhood education is income-based, as are the client fees for early childhood education. Your family’s child-specific out-of-pocket cost depends on the size and gross income of your family and on the weekly hours of early childhood education specified in the service agreement between your family and the day care centre. The sibling discount that is used in municipal early childhood education also applies to the service voucher. These factors are taken into consideration when calculating the out-of-pocket amount to be paid by your family. The out-of-pocket amount corresponds to the client fee for municipal early childhood education. The out-of-pocket amount is EUR 0–295 per month. In addition, the service voucher unit may charge an additional fee (max. EUR 50 per child per month).

Early childhood education fees

How and when will I receive a decision on the value of my child’s service voucher?

Answer: You will be informed of a decision through the Suomi.fi service if you have activated the service. The decision will be sent to the guardian who submitted the application. If the guardian has not activated the Suomi.fi service, the decision will be sent to their home address by post.

The decision on the value of a service voucher is made within approximately one month of the start of early childhood education. The decision will show the amount to be paid by your family, i.e. the out-of-pocket amount. In addition, the service voucher unit may charge an additional fee (max. EUR 50 per child per month).

What should I do if I want to change my child’s early childhood education unit?

Answer: If you as a guardian wish to move your child to a different early childhood education unit, for example a municipal day care centre, you will need to submit a new application. This application is known as a transfer application. Places are assigned in line with the guidelines of the Finnish Education and Early Education Committee (17 February 2011). Transfer applications are valid for one year.

You will need to terminate your client relationship with the current service voucher day care centre in writing, but not until you have received a decision on your child’s new early childhood education unit. Please also take account of the notice period stated in the agreement that you have concluded with the service provider.

Where can I find more information on service voucher day care centres?

Answer: Further information on the approved service voucher day care centres is available on the City of Espoo website.

Information for families

Pilke Tuulikello(external link) 0 €

Pilke Siru(external link) 0 €

Pilke Kilo(external link) 0 €

Pilke luontopäiväkoti Kaisla(external link) 0 €

Pilke Laajalahti, Espoo(external link) 0 €

Touhula Seaside International(external link) 50 €

Touhula Innopoli International(external link) 50 €

1.8.2022 alkaen Pilke Playschool Laajalahti (external link) 50 €

Pilke Maria Montessori(external link) 30 €

Pilke Kattimatti(external link) 30 €

Touhula Tikasmäki(external link) 30 €

Murut Olari(external link)  50 €

Murut Omena (external link) 50 €  

Pilke Merikatti(external link) 30 €

Pilke Kissankulma(external link) 30 €

Luontopäiväkoti Tenava-Tilli(external link) 30 €

Liikuntapäiväkoti Areena(external link) 25 €

Touhula Vekaralahti(external link) 30 €

Touhula Vekaravuori(external link) 30 €

Tenava-Kärry(external link) 50 €

Touhula Palolampi(external link) 30 €

Touhula Fallåker(external link) 30 €

Pilke Peippo(external link) 0 €

Pilke Aftonstjärnan(external link) 0 €

A service voucher is one way of providing a municipality’s statutory early childhood education. In connection with approving the budget, the Espoo City Council decided to introduce service vouchers as of 1 August 2021. Service vouchers will be available for early childhood education services provided by private day care centres. Each service provider can choose whether they want to become a service provider in the service voucher system.

The maximum value of a service voucher for early childhood education at a day care centre is EUR 870 per (891 euro/month starting from 1.8.2022) month per child for an over 3-year-old child. The price ceiling for a service voucher for early childhood education is EUR 50 per month, which means that a service provider can charge an early childhood education fee that is EUR 0–50 higher than that charged for municipal early childhood education.

The coefficients related to service vouchers are as follows:

Coefficients based on a child’s age:

• The coefficient for a child who has turned three is 1.00
• The coefficient for a child under the age of three is 1.55

Coefficients based on a child’s need for early childhood education:

• The coefficient for full-time early childhood education is 1.00
• The coefficient for part-time early childhood education (max. 25 hrs/week) is 0.60
• The coefficient for early childhood education connected to pre-primary education is 0.50

Service providers can join the service voucher system through the PSOP system(external link) (a system for service vouchers and outsourced services). They will need to add the required information and attachments through the system.  The status of an application can be checked through the PSOP system. Service providers will receive an extract of an office holder’s decision record.

Families can apply for a service voucher for a private service voucher day care centre that have been approved by the city of Espoo. Families can apply for a service voucher in the same way as they would apply for municipal early childhood education, by filling in an application through the City of Espoo’s online system (eVaka). The applicant will receive an email instructing them to contact the day care centre. If the applicant has not contacted the day care centre, the service provider will contact the applicant.

The service provider (the director of the day care centre) will see a summary of each application concerning their day care centre through Espoo’s online system immediately after a family has submitted an application. Espoo’s Early Childhood Education Service Guidance will make a placement proposal to the day care centre. After the service provider has accepted the proposal, the family will receive an approved service voucher decision. The family will then accept or reject the service voucher through the online system or by submitting a paper acceptance notification to the day care centre.

Service providers can send questions related to early childhood education in Espoo by email to vakapsop@espoo.fi.

Determining the value of the child-specific service voucher as of 1 march 2023