Regulations on the daycare scheme (SFO) in the Municipality of Ås
Adopted by the Committee of Childhood and Culture, 17.2.2016. Applies from 1.4.2016.
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Section 1 – Statutory basis
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Section 2 – Scope
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Section 3 – Aims
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Section 4 – Admissions authority
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Section 5 – Admissions period
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Section 6 – Admissions criteria
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Section 7 – Full or part-time
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Section 8 – Opening times
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Section 9 – Holidays and days off
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Section 10 – Transport
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Section 11 – Termination/ change of offer
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Section 12 – Fees
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Section 13 – Staffing and management
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Section 14 – Play and recreational areas
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Section 15 – Internal controls
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Section 16 – Insurance
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Section 17 – Appeals
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Section 18 – Regulation
Section 1 – Statutory basis
With statutory basis in Act of 17.07.1998 no. 61 Norwegian Act on Primary and Secondary Education, cf. the Norwegian Education Act with amendments on 01.08.2003, 17.06.2005 and 28.04.2010, the Committee of Childhood and Culture has set out regulations for the Municipality of Ås daycare scheme. Fees are set by the municipal council.
The regulations apply to all daycare schemes which are owned and managed by the Municipality of Ås.
The municipal daycare schemes are managed pursuant to:
- The Norwegian Education Act and Regulations
- Municipal planning documents
- Process description for the childhood and culture services
Matters regulated by the Norwegian Education Act and Regulations are not included in the regulations. This applies to pupils in their school environment, cf. Chapter 9a of the Norwegian Education Act, requirement for police certificate, cf. Section 10-9 of the Norwegian Education Act and regulations to Chapter 15 of the Norwegian Education Act and confidentiality rules, cf. Section 15-1 of the Norwegian Education Act and Sections 13-13 ff of the Norwegian Public Administration Act.
The aim of the daycare scheme is to offer children in years 1-4 and children with special needs in years 1-7 a safe care and daycare scheme before and after school hours. Based on the child’s age, functional abilities and interests, the daycare scheme must cater to children’s need for care, play, cultural and leisure activities and social learning.
Section 4 – Admissions authority
The principal at each school is the admissions authority for the daycare scheme.
The main intake to the daycare scheme takes place by 15 March each year. A confirmed daycare place runs up to and includes year 4 unless the place is terminated.
The offer of a place in the main intake applies from 1 August and must be paid for from this date.
Section 6 – Admissions criteria
The daycare scheme is aimed at children from year 1 up to and including year 4 and for children with special needs from year 1 up to and including year 7.
If capacity becomes limited on an daycare scheme, admissions will take place according to the following prioritisation criteria:
- Pupils with special needs, years 1-7 (Section 13-7 of the Norwegian Education Act)
- Pupils in year 1
- Pupils in year 2
- Pupils in year 3
- Pupils in year 4
Two alternatives are available:
- Full-time place: more than 10 hours a week
- Part-time place: up to and including 10 hours a week
The specific hours of a part-time place must be set out and agreed between parents and the daycare scheme for the year.
Pupils may attend on different days in even and uneven weeks as long as this constitutes a fixed arrangement.
Single days are available for purchase. Single days must be agreed with the manager of the daycare scheme at least 14 days in advance. This rule may be deviated from in exceptional circumstances.
The daycare scheme is open for 9.5 hours on weekdays in the period 7 am– 5 pm. On school days, the daycare scheme is closed during school hours.
The following opening alternatives are decided in the liaison committee every school year at each school on the basis of a survey of parents whose children have places on the scheme:
- 7 am–4.30 pm
- 7.15 am–4.45 pm
- 7.30 am–5.00 pm
Section 9 – Holidays and days off
The daycare scheme is closed:
- in weeks 28, 29 and 30
- Five planning days – these are organised to coincide with the school’s planning days or other days on which the school is closed
- between Christmas and New Year
- Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in Easter Week
On days on which the school is closed and the daycare scheme is open, pupils will be able additionally to attend the daycare scheme during ordinary school hours. Pupils with a part-time place have three optional days of daycare scheme in holiday weeks, excluding holidays on which the daycare scheme is closed. Pupils with part-time places are able to purchase single additional days.
The purchase of additional days must be agreed with the manager of the daycare scheme no later than 14 days in advance unless otherwise decided by the scheme.
During school autumn and winter holidays and in weeks 26 and 27, the scheme can be coordinated with other after-school schemes in the area.
The daycare scheme is not covered by primary school transport rules. Children attending the daycare scheme are therefore not entitled to school transport. The children’s transport requirements must be covered by their parents/guardians.
Section 11 – Termination/change of offer
Notice of termination of place and changes to hours must be given a minimum of one month in advance effective from the first day of the following month. This applies to the period from 1 September to 1 April only.
Notice of termination and changes to hours in the months of April, May and June must be given by 1 March. This may be deviated from in exceptional circumstances by application to the principal in writing.
If a place is to be terminated from 1 August, notice must be given by 1 June.
Application for other hours must be made in writing to the manager of the daycare scheme. If changes to hours entail reduced fees, the same deadline applies as for termination.
The municipality is entitled to terminate a place with one month’s notice from the 1st or 15th day of the month if the agreement has been materially breached. Before an agreement can be terminated, a written warning will be issued to provide opportunity for the breach to be rectified. A material breach includes:
- failure to pay fees for a place in whole or in part
- exceeding agreed hours
- if special circumstances should warrant it
The municipal council sets the fees payable by parents for the daycare scheme based on the Section 13-7 of the Norwegian Education Act. Fees include food. No reduction for siblings is offered by the daycare scheme, but reduced fees are available for low-income families.
Fees payable by parents become due in advance on 15th day of each month for 11 months. Reminders will accrue late charges. Late payment will incur interest.
Failure to pay fees means that the child will lose his/her place on the scheme. Written notice of termination is given one month in advance from the 1st or 15th day of the month. Uncollected fees will be sent for debt collection. Parents/guardians will be given notice of debt collection.
Families with outstanding fees for municipal childcare will not be allocated a place on the daycare scheme until previous outstanding balances with the municipality have been settled.
If daycare scheme hours are not complied with, this may lead to termination. A fixed charge will be applied if children are collected after daycare scheme hours or the period for which the parent/guardian has paid.
Section 13 – Staffing and management
The principal has overall administrative and academic responsibility for the daycare scheme.
At each school, the manager of the daycare scheme/education inspector has responsibility for general management of the scheme. Managers must be trained teachers or have other applicable training. Managers must have an educational background or expertise corresponding to child and youth worker or other suitability.
The daycare scheme at each school must have a core staff of approx. 15 children per adult during periods when most children are present. This may mean that in the morning or afternoons, fewer adults will be present.
Two parents/guardians at each school are appointed parent contacts for the daycare scheme. These contacts also serve on the school council bodies.
Section 14 – Play and recreational areas
Both outdoor and indoor areas must be suitable for purpose.
Section 15 – Internal controls
The daycare scheme has an internal control system that complies with applicable regulations and guidelines:
- Regulations on systematic health, safety and environment in businesses (Internal Control Regulation of 01.01.1997)
- Regulations on environmental health in schools and nurseries etc. of 10.01.1996
- The municipal internal control system
The Municipality of Ås has a collective accident insurance in place that covers children on the daycare scheme.
Appeals about decisions (including admission, termination, change of hours) may be submitted pursuant to Chapter VI of the Norwegian Public Administration Act. The appeals deadline is three weeks calculated from the date the parents/guardians are in receipt of the letter, cf. Sections 28 and 29 of the Norwegian Public Administration Act. Appeals must be made in writing stating the reasons for the appeal and must be submitted to the principal. The principal will pass the appeal to the appeals body if, after having considered the matter, the principal finds no reason to alter the decision. Currently, the appeals body is Formannskapet.
Amendments to regulations are made by the Committee for Childhood and Culture. The regulations are published in Lovdata.