Early Childhood Education and Care

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Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe
Tackling Social and Cultural Inequalities
Presented at a conference Eurydice i sistemi
educativi europei al traguardo del 2010 (MIUR,
Roma) 2009 Sep 25 by Akvile Motiejunaite
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Pre-primary education has the highest returns in
terms of the social adaptation of children.
Member States should invest more in pre-primary
education as an effective means to establish the
basis for further learning, preventing school
drop-out, increasing equity of outcomes and
overall skill levelsCommission Communication
Efficiency and Equity in European Education and
Training Systems (September 2006)
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The study definitions

• Discusses publicly subsidised and accredited
  provision for children under compulsory school
  age
• Defines at risk children children with
  disadvantages stemming mainly from
  socio-economic, cultural and/or language factors.
  The need arises from disadvantages attributable
  to these factors (OECD)
• Covers 30 countries of Eurydice network
• Refers to year 2006/2007

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The study structure

1. a review of scientific literature on the impact
   of high quality education and care on young
   children
2. a summary of statistical data on relevant
   demographic characteristics of European families
   and the participation rates in ECEC
3. a comparative analysis of policy measures based
   on information collected from national units of
   the Eurydice network.

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What does research tell us?
ECEC benefits all children if
intensive, early starting, child-focused, centre
based high qualified staff (specialised BA)
low staff/child ratios parent involvement,
family support
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European families with young children (under 6s)

• 12  of total households
• Potential groups at-risk
• 17 of households on the poverty threshold
• (PL, LT, UK, EE, IT, PT, LU gt 20 )
• Single parent households 9 
• Non-national children 3
• (ethnic minority and immigrant?)

Combination
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What is the current situation
regarding ECEC in Europe?

• All countries have subsidised and accredited ECEC
• Limited or no for under 3s in CZ, EL, IE, NL, PL,
  UK, LI
• Separate model childcare vs. education
• Unitary model childcare with education

Parental employment status catchments' area
age
universal access
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Main models of (accredited and subsidised) ECEC
provision according to the age of children,
2006/07
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Italy Separate settings
0 3 6
Asilo nido
Scuola dellinfanzia
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Upper or post secondary education
Tertiary education
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99.8
Participation rate of children from 3-6 years by
agein pre-primary (ISCED 0) and primary (ISCED
1) education, EU-27, 2005/06
Problematic access for under-3s (no Eurostat
data!) rural areas Large variation between
countries
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What is done for disadvantaged children?

• FINANCIAL SUPPORT
• TO SETTINGS
• Additional financial resources
• More favourable staff/child ratios
• Incentives for staff

TO FAMILIES Decreasing costs SPECIFIC
PROGRAMMES
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Means of enhancing affordability of ECEC for the
youngest, 2006/07
Level of fees paid for accredited public sector
ECEC services adjusted according to
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POLICY MAKERS MAY HAVE A DIRECT INFLUENCE ON
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• Grazie!
• The report is available onwww.eurydice.org