| Kindergarten | Child Care Centre |
---|---|---|
Monitoring | Education Department | Social Welfare Department |
Bodies | (or Education & Manpower Bureau) | Â |
Focus | Education | Care and education |
 | look after children aged 3–6 | look after children aged 0–6 |
1930s–1940s | Early form of kindergartens appeared in Hong Kong |  |
1950s | In-service training | With the influx of mainland Chinese immigrants, the first childcare centre was established in Hong Kong by YWCA in 1956. |
 | Kindergarten Advisory Inspectorate was established and provided 2-year Part-time In-service training for kindergarten teachers. | |
1960s | Â | In-service training |
 |  | Social Welfare Department began Part-time In service training for childcare workers in 1960, and Full-time Pre-service training in 1968. |
1970s | Policy | Policy |
 | Education Ordinance and Regulations was released in 1971. | Child Care Centres Ordinance was released in 1975 requiring childcare workers to complete the relevant in-service training courses within first year of employment. |
 |  | In-service Training |
 |  | Hong Kong Polytechnics commenced 1 year full-time pre-service training in 1976. |