Childcare before school start

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Population and Education, Social Statistics
Bjarne Mann
+45 3917 3758

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The statistics illustrates the number of children in childcare preschool, the number of employees with pedagogical assignments and the ratio between children and employees in childcare facilities. The purpose is to illustrate the trends in childcare. The statistics have been published since 1943, while the ratio between children and employees was first published in 2015. The ratio between children and employees does not show the direct time the staff spend with children - also known as "face-to-face" time. The inventory is an estimate of resource allocation to the childcare area.

Statistical presentation

The statistics is an annual inventory of the number of children enrolled in childcare facilities, the number of employees with pedagogical assignments, and the ratio between children and employees. The framework for the statistics follows the recommendations of the work of an inter-ministerial working group, where stakeholders were involved.

Statistical processing

Information on enrolled children and employees are obtained primarily from registration in municipalities through the municipalities' and regions' payroll office. Data is examined for errors and all municipalities validate their data in dialogue with Statistics Denmark. I

Relevance

There are different and diverse users of the statistics. The Danish Ministries use the statistics to compare the resource allocation to childcare in different municipalities and to develop policies on child care. Interest organizations, such as the National Association of Pedagogues (BUPL), the National Associations of Municipalities (KL) and The Association of Parents (FOLA) use the statistics to assess the service level in the childcare area. Data has been collected on an agreement between Statistics Denmark and the Ministry of Children and Education.

Accuracy and reliability

The inventory for 2020 has information from all 98 municipalities. The accuracy is affected by errors in municipal registrations and whether keys for distributing staff in age groups 0-2 and 3-5 years in 0-5 year institutions are correct. Employees and children from private institutions are not included in the statistics, because of an unrealistic high or low ratio of children pr. Employee in such institutions. Moreover uncertainty comes from single registration errors that do not give systematic errors in the calculation.

Timeliness and punctuality

The statistics are published approx. nine months after the end of the reference year. The statistics are published without delays in relation to the previously announced time of publication in the publication calendar. . The statistics are published without delay in relation to the pre-announced release date in the release calendar.

Comparability

Statistic on childcare can be dated back to 1943. From 1975 it was the number of children enrolled in the age groups 0-2 years and 3-6 years. Until 2004, the date of measurement was a day in spring, but from 2004 it becomes the first of October. As of 2015, children and staff are measured as full-time units. This gives a lower number of children and staff compared to before 2015. Figures from before 1983 can be found in statistical yearbooks, while figures from 1983 onwards can be found at the Statbank. Statistics on childcare do not have common guidelines across countries.

Accessibility and clarity

Statistics on the number of children enrolled in institutions, pedagogical employees, the ratio between children and employees and the number of institutions are published in the Statbank under Children and staff and Institutions. See more on the topic for Childcare. Childcare.

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