Transcript The ministry of Education and Research

Expert Conference Accompanying the Informal Meeting
of Ministers for Family and Gender Equality:
"Mechanisms for reconciling professional and family
roles for women and men as a chance to actively
participate in the labour market"
Cracow 20-21 October 2011
This conference is supported by the European Union Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity – PROGRESS (2007-2013)
"Mechanisms for reconciling professional and family roles for women and men
as a chance to actively participate in the labour market "
This programme is implemented by the European Commission. It was established
to financially support the implementation of the objectives of the European Union
in the employment, social affairs and equal opportunities area, and thereby contribute
to the achievement of the Europe 2020 Strategy goals in this fields.
The seven-year Programme targets all stakeholders who can help shape the development
of appropriate and effective employment and social legislation and policies, across
The EU-27, EFTA-EEA and EU candidate and pre-candidate countries.
For more information see: http://ec.europa.eu/progress
This conference is supported by the European Union Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity – PROGRESS (2007-2013)
How to meet the Barcelona targets – the Swedish
example
Christer Tofténius
[email protected]
Ministry of Education and Research Sweden
The Swedish example
• Important aspect of the welfare system
• Preschool (day care with preschool pedagogic),
1-5 year olds
• 97% of all 3-5 y.o. and 67%1-2 y.o. in pre-schooling
• High quality
• Accessible
• Affordable
Ministry of Education and Research Sweden
The Swedish preschool
• Preschool have dual functions:
- to enable parents to combine parenthood with work or studies and
- to support and encourage children’s development and learning and to
provide favorable conditions for growing up.
Ministry of Education and Research Sweden
Quality - Regulation
• Target-oriented and result-oriented system
• New Education Act in 2011
– preschool a school-form within the school system.
– common goals from preschool to adult education,
– must have a preschool head,
– preschool teachers in every preschool which has the overall pedagogical
responsibility
Ministry of Education and Research Sweden
Quality- Curriculum
• Educare - combination of education and care
– In 1998 the first curriculum for preschool. Basic idea: care, socialisation
and learning together form a coherent whole. Preschool should be
enjoyable, secure and rich in learning for all children.
– Revised curriculum in 2011, with clarified goals for language,
mathematics, natural sciences and technology. New section for follow-up
and evaluation. Responsibilities clarified for preschool teachers and
preschool heads.
Ministry of Education and Research Sweden
Quality - Staff
-
Pre-school teachers (3,5 years university education) 54% and
Child carers (upper-secondary/senior high-school diploma)
Average child-to-staff ratio in pre-school, 1990–2010
Year
Children/Staff
1990
4.4
1994
5.2
1998
5.7
2001
5.4
2006
5.1
2010
5.4
Source: Official statistics.
Group sizes 15-20, average 16,9 children/group
Ministry of Education and Research Sweden
Other forms of activities
• Family day care home, 1-5 (6-12) year old
• Open preschool
• Out of school centre (Leisure time c), 6-12 y. o.
• Open leisure-time activities 10-12 year old
Voluntary preschool class for 6-year olds.
Compulsory school begins at the age of 7 (9 years)
Ministry of Education and Research Sweden
Accessible
• Legislation - Education Act. Local authorities are obliged to provide preschool,
within four months after application.
• Preschool 1-5 years old - for parents
– who are working or studying,
– on parental leave or unemployed (15 h/week) or
• for children
– who themselves are in need of the activity
– 3, 4 and 5 year-olds are entitled, free of charge, to 525 hours of preschool
yearly - three hours a day or 15 hours a week
Ministry of Education and Research Sweden
Children aged 1-5 by form 2010 Proportion (per cent) of all
children in preschooling
Age of Preschool
Family day care Total
child__________________________________________
1 year
46,9
2.3
49.2
2 years 87.3
4.0
91.3
3 years 92.1
4.0
96.1
4 years 94.1
3.7
97.8
5 years 94.5
3.1
97.6
All
82,7%
3.4%
86,1%
Source: Official statistics.
Ministry of Education and Research Sweden
Affordable - Maximum fee
For preschool activities
Child 1: 3 % of income – maximum EUR 138/month
Child 2: 2 % of income – maximum EUR 92/month
Child 3: 1 % of income – maximum EUR 46/month
Child 4: no charge
Parental fees 8% of costs
For school-age child care
Child 1: 2 % of income – maximum EUR 92/month
Child 2: 1 % of income – maximum EUR 46/month
Child 3: 1 % of income – maximum EUR 46/month
Child 4: no charge
(Highest fee for the youngest child)
Ministry of Education and Research Sweden
Financing/Costs
Financed mainly out of public funds
ECEC costs in Sweden 2010 per year
• Preschool EUR 12 900 per child
Total EUR 5,85 billion
• Family day care EUR 10 400 per child
Total EUR 225 million
• School age childcare EUR 3 720 per child
Total EUR 1,35 billion
Total EUR 7,49 billion (2,1% of GDP)
Ministry of Education and Research Sweden
History – how did we get there?
• Before the 1960s – child crèches for the underprivileged and
kindergarten for affluent
• 1960s – Need for labor force, women's liberation and need for public
childcare
• 1970s – commissions and planned expansion
• 1980s – pedagogical role and expansion
• 1990s – the first level of the education system
• 2000s – quality and preschool for everyone
Ministry of Education and Research Sweden
Lessons learned
• National strategy
• Building up
– earmarked state grants at the initial stage
– municipal subsidies
– political stable situation
– support from research - beneficial for society, family, social inclusion, child's
development and learning
• EDUCARE-model where care, socialisation and learning form a coherent whole
• Well educated/trained staff
• Curriculum (1998)
• Maximum fee (2002)
• Universal preschool, free of charge (2003)
Ministry of Education and Research Sweden
Useful websites www.sweden.gov.se
• Information about preschools in Sweden - National Agency for Education:
http://www.skolverket.se
The Politics of Preschool - Intentions and decisions
underlying the emergence and growth of the Swedish The
Preschool, which you will find on,
• http://www.sweden.gov.se/publications
• Direct link: http://www.sweden.gov.se/sb/d/574/a/91062
Curriculum (Lpfö 98)
• http://www.skolverket.se/In English/Steering documents/ Curriculum for preschool in English
(Lpfö 98)
• Direct link: http://www.skolverket.se/sb/d/493
Ministry of Education and Research Sweden
"Mechanisms for reconciling professional and family roles for women and men
as a chance to actively participate in the labour market "
Dziękujemy! Thank you! Благодаря! Hvala!
Děkuji! Tak! Aitäh! Kiitos! Merci! Gracias!
Σας ευχαριστώ! Go raibh maith agat! Þakka
þér! Ačiū! Paldies! Danke! Takk! Obrigado!
Mulţumesc! Ďakujem! Tack! Köszönöm!
Grazie! Dank u!
This conference is supported by the European Union Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity – PROGRESS (2007-2013)