Danes Lead in Daycare

The European Union is providing daycare, most of it subsidized, for 80% of children over three, with Denmark leading the way. Denmark also is the leader in providing daycare for children under three, with 66% attending daycare for more than 30 hours a week. Denmark subsidizes three quarters of the cost of daycare, while the United States subsidizes zero.

The statistics released by the EU excluded daycare provided by parents and relatives and they emphasized that in the EU as a whole, only a quarter of the children under the age of three are receiving daycare.     The highest percentages of those under three who attended for between 1 and 29 hours a week were recorded in the Netherlands (41%), the United Kingdom (28%) and Spain (20%). For childcare of 30 hours a week or more, the highest shares were observed in Denmark (66%), Portugal (32%) and Sweden (27%).     For those between three and compulsory school age, Denmark also had the highest share: Denmark (80%), Estonia (78%), Italy, Portugal and Slovenia (66% each).