Childcare and early childhood education in international comparison: best-practice models
In a new study, EcoAustria presents the potential for improvement in early childcare and early childhood education in Austria. Starting with a literature analysis, the study reveals critical aspects of gender-specific differences in the labor market on the one hand and the positive effects of increasing female labor market participation on the other. Furthermore, it becomes clear that participation in early childhood education can improve the later educational and labor market opportunities of the participating children.
Austria falls well short of the Barcelona target of a childcare rate of 33% for children under the age of 3. Austria performs worst in an international comparison with Germany, France, the Netherlands and Denmark. All of these countries have a higher childcare rate for under 3-year-olds than Austria. Other relevant criteria such as maternal labor force participation, PISA results and the child poverty rate were also compared. Austria was the only country not to secure a top position in the comparison. Many countries have recently made progress in expanding childcare. These vary in form and extent and are aimed at expanding childcare provision, improving the quality of care, harmonizing the quality of different childcare services and improving the participation of children with educational disadvantages in particular.
In the extended country comparison of the 27 EU member states plus Norway and Switzerland, a scoreboard analysis is carried out on the basis of 14 indicators. The indicators were selected according to their relevance to the performance of childcare. They include the childcare rate for under-3-year-olds, the employment rate of mothers of children aged 0 to 2 or the proportion of full-time employment of both parents of children. Denmark is the best performer among the comparison countries. Austria only made it to 20th place out of 29 countries.
The results ruthlessly reveal Austria's deficits in the area of early childcare and early education. In particular, there is a lack of childcare places for under 3-year-olds and a lack of places that are suitable for full-time employment. Targeted action can be taken here in the future. All 4 of the countries considered in the closer comparison have a better scoreboard ranking. Austria is ranked 20th, behind Denmark in 1st place, France in 8th place, the Netherlands in 10th place and Germany in 17th place. This underlines the potential for improvement that Austria has in the area of childcare and early childhood education.
[d3-source canvas="wpd3-8198-0"]
