For many families, municipal childminding is the most home-like start to life outside the four walls of the home. In Sønderborg Municipality, childminders are spread across the local areas, so there is often a childminder close to where you live – and where your children are cared for in small, calm surroundings with a consistent adult nearby throughout the day.
With a childminder, your child is cared for in the childminder’s own home, together with a maximum of 5 other children. This provides a manageable and familiar daily routine, in which the youngest children quickly get to know the childminder’s routines, rooms and the other children. All municipal childminders in Sønderborg are trained pedagogical assistants who continue their education on an ongoing basis, so you can be confident that your child is in professionally competent hands, even though the care takes place in a home setting.
Although the childminder cares for the children in their own home, daily life is not isolated. All childminders in Sønderborg Municipality are attached to a playgroup, where they meet regularly with other childminders and children. This gives your child experience of being part of a larger group of children, while daily care remains close and personal.
Childminders in Sønderborg Municipality are available 48 hours a week, tailored to each individual child, typically within the hours of 06.00–18.00. If the childminder falls ill, your child will be offered alternative care, so you do not have to deal with that challenge yourself in the middle of a working day. When the childminder is on holiday, your child is offered a guest place with another childminder or at a guest house, so that care continues even when your regular childminder is off.
All children in Sønderborg Municipality are entitled to a place in day care from the age of 26 weeks, and the municipality guarantees a place in all areas. You can book a childminding place as soon as your child has been issued a CPR number, and you can view the location of the municipal childminders on an interactive map. If you need guidance on admission to childminding, you can contact the Place Allocation Office (Pladsanvisningen). Book a place, view the map of childminders, or read more about the rules on Sønderborg Municipality’s page on registering for a place.
The first years of a child’s life are about closeness, security and the small steps toward independence. In Sønderborg Municipality’s nurseries, the youngest children get a good start in community life, while there is still enough time and expertise to meet each child where they are.
In Sønderborg Municipality, kindergartens are far more than just a place where children are looked after while their parents are at work. This is where your children truly discover community life, practice making friends and enjoy a day filled with play, learning and experiences that prepare them for starting school.
The thought of relocating to a new country — with different rules, unfamiliar surroundings, and new routines — can feel overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be complicated. Keep reading to discover how easy it can be to start a new chapter in Sonderborg — and explore the many advantages that can make this city your new home.