The crèche for children under three years of age was intended as a child-care place primari-
ly while mothers were at work. A mother could be working a few hours per day or have a
regular full-time job. Crèches also had to be prepared to offer round-the-clock care in cases
when children were not collected or were being collected by someone under the influence
of alcohol. Children were cared for and provided with nourishing meals. Children in
crèches were not regarded as being in need of actual education at this stage. Fairly soon, the
crèche also became part of the second stage of the kindergarten ideology, i.e. the folk kindergarten.