The German preschool is known as a "Kindergarten" (plural "Kindergärten") or "Kita", short for "Kindertagesstätte" (meaning "children's daycare center"). Children between the ages of 2 and 6 attend "Kindergärten", which are not part of the school system. They are often run by city or town administrations, churches, or registered societies, many of which follow a certain educational approach as represented, e.g., by Montessori or Reggio Emilia or "Berliner Bildungsprogramm", etc. Forest kindergartens are well established. Attending a "Kindergarten" is neither mandatory nor free of charge, but can be partly or wholly funded, depending on the local authority and the income of the parents. All caretakers in Kita or Kindergarten must have a three-year qualified education, or be under special supervision during training.