Do you run a childcare centre? Then you need to make sure your children’s groups meet the familiar-face criterion. This means that each child sees at least one familiar face in their group during the day. The criterion applies to each child individually and is not determined at group level.
What is a familiar face?
A familiar face is a childcarer who is always there when the child is there. This helps the child develop a sense of social-emotional security. The familiar-face criterion is different for babies and older children. There may be other childcarers present apart from the familiar face.
How many familiar faces do you need?
How many familiar faces a child can have at most depends on the professional childcarer-child ratio for your childcare location.
Familiar-face criterion for babies
The standard for baby groups (under the age of 1) is a maximum of 2 familiar faces, when the professional childcarer-child ratio is 1 or 2.
If the ratio is 3 or more, the standard for babies is a maximum of 3 familiar faces.
Familiar-face criterion for children
The standard for children (aged 1 and over) is a maximum of 3 familiar faces, when professional childcarer-child ratio is 1 or 2.If there are 3 or more childcarers per group, the maximum is 4 familiar faces.
Changes to the familiar-face criterion
From 1 July 2023 the familiar-face criterion will change. A childcare centre can then temporarily deviate from the criterion. For instance, in case of illness or temporarily leave of 1 or more of the familiar faces.
