6 hours of free nursery school in Hafnarfjörður
„With six hours of free nursery education, we are making life easier for families and strengthening the balance between family life and work.“ says Valdimar Víðisson, the mayor of Hafnarfjörður, and this change took place around the turn of the year.
The nursery for the families
A free nursery stay of six hours or less came into effect in Hafnarfjörður around the turn of the year. Parents who enrol their children for six hours or less then only pay for food.
„With six hours of free nursery education, we are making life easier for families and strengthening the balance between family life and work.“ says Valdimar Víðisson, Mayor of Hafnarfjörður.
„At the same time, we ensure that the quality of the nursery's work remains intact and that fairness prevails, regardless of parents' circumstances. We want to offer greater flexibility and equal access to high-quality nursery services without sacrificing quality.“
This change does not affect families who need longer childcare for their children. Fees for full-time care will only increase by the amount of the general council fee rise at the turn of the year.
The nursery school is the first stage of schooling and plays a key role in a child's development. It lays the foundation for language development, social skills and learning, in a safe and professional environment where the quality of the work is crucial for further education.
How does 6-hour free nursery work?
- The nursery day remains unchanged. Structured professional work and support services take place between 9 am and 3 pm, with free play sessions from 7:30 am to 9 am and after 3 pm.
- If the stay begins at 8 a.m., the six-hour free stay ends at 2 p.m., but at 3 p.m. if the stay begins at 9 a.m. However, please note that the days can be of different lengths, provided the total does not exceed 30 hours per week.
- The only condition is a minimum stay of four hours per day, every weekday.
On Nursery fee calculator On hafnarfjordur.is you can calculate nursery fees. The calculator works out the average number of hours a child attends per week.
Hafnarfjörður encourages parents and guardians to look into this new arrangement. The aim is to ensure quality, flexibility and equality for all families.