Child care League Table

The level of pre-school child care varies from 3 to 60% between European countries, and most countries are far from meeting the targets for child care agreed five years ago at the EU Summit in Barcelona, according to a study published this year by the Italian “Istituto per la ricerca sociale”.

Out of 21 countries examined only 5 met the EU target of child care for 33% of children aged 0-3, and only around half – 12 countries out of 21 – met the second target of child care for 90% of children aged 3 to the compulsory school age.

The countries meeting the EU target of child care for 33% of children aged 0-3  were Belgium, Finland, France, Sweden and Denmark.

The countries failing to meet the EU target of child care for 90% of children aged 3 to the compulsory school age included Greece, Portugal, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Poland, Czech Republic and Finland.

The lowest overall levels of pre-school child care were in Greece, Ireland, Lithuania and Poland.

The highest were in Denmark, Sweden and France.

The study states “the share of children aged less than 3 attending formal child care ranges from 3% in Greece to almost 60% in Denmark. Southern European countries, continental countries (with the exception of France and Belgium), Ireland and Baltic countries all show low take-up rates (up to 20%). Sweden, Denmark and France are countries with the highest take-up rates (above 40%). At an intermediate level we find countries belonging to different welfare traditions: Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Belgium, the UK, Finland.”

“Generally higher take-up rates characterise child care facilities for children aged 3 until the entry of compulsory education (usually 6 years). Take-up rates are below 50% only in Greece and Poland and they reach very high levels even in countries with low provision of childcare for younger children, eg Italy, The Netherlands.”