Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe:
Tackling Social and Cultural Inequalities
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
Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe:
Tackling Social and Cultural Inequalities
“Pre-primary education has the highest returns
in terms of the social adaptation of children.
Member States should invest more in preprimary education as an effective means to
establish the basis for further learning,
preventing school drop-out, increasing equity
of outcomes and overall skill levels”
Commission Communication ‘Efficiency and Equity in European
Education and Training Systems’
(September 2006)
Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe:
Tackling Social and Cultural Inequalities
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
Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe:
Tackling Social and Cultural Inequalities
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.
Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe:
Tackling Social and Cultural Inequalities
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
Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe:
Tackling Social and Cultural Inequalities
European families
with young children (under 6s)
• 12 % of total households
Combination
• Potential groups at-risk:
– 17 % of households on the poverty threshold
(PL, LT, UK, EE, IT, PT, LU > 20 %)
– Single parent households 9 %
– Non-national children 3 %
(~ethnic minority and immigrant?)
Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe:
Tackling Social and Cultural Inequalities
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
Parental employment status
catchments' area
age
• Unitary model: childcare with education
universal access
Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe:
Tackling Social and Cultural Inequalities
Main models of (accredited and subsidised) ECEC provision
according to the age of children, 2006/07
Model A: Unitary settings
0-1 year to 5-6 years
with or without pre-primary classes
Model B: Separate settings
under 2-3 years over 2-3 years
Mix A + B
Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe:
Tackling Social and Cultural Inequalities
Italy: Separate settings
0
Asilo nido
3
6
Scuola dell’infanzia
Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe:
Tackling Social and Cultural Inequalities
Level and minimum duration of initial education and training for staff working with
children under 2-3 years, 2006/07
Level and minimum duration of initial education and training for staff working with
children over 2-3 years ( ISCED 0), 2006/07
Upper or post secondary
education
Tertiary education
Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe:
Tackling Social and Cultural Inequalities
Participation rate of children
from 3-6 years by age
in pre-primary (ISCED 0) and
primary (ISCED 1) education,
EU-27, 2005/06
99.8 %
100
93 %
87 %
90
80
74 %
70
60
50
Problematic access for:
under-3s (no Eurostat data!)
rural areas
Large variation between countries
40
30
20
10
0
3
ISCED 0
4
5
6
ISCED 1
Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe:
Tackling Social and Cultural Inequalities
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
Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe:
Tackling Social and Cultural Inequalities
Means of enhancing affordability of ECEC for the youngest, 2006/07
Level of fees paid for accredited public
sector ECEC services adjusted according to
family income and
number of children
criteria other than
family size and income
Tax advantages available for use
of accredited fee-paying ECEC
services in the public sector
Free access in all subsidised and
accredited services
Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe:
Tackling Social and Cultural Inequalities
POLICY MAKERS MAY HAVE A DIRECT INFLUENCE ON
STAFF TRAINING
Level
Duration
Skills required
PROVISION
Capacity/volume
Age of access
Staff ratio
Fees
Reducing
Cost
HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION AND CARE
Intensive verbal interactions
PARENTAL
Cognitive stimulation
SUPPORT
Good climate
Socialisation
Involvement
In ECEC
GREATEST BENEFITS TO CHILDREN AT RISK
Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe:
Tackling Social and Cultural Inequalities
Grazie!
The report is available on
www.eurydice.org