Model system guarantees daycare places

EVERY Finnish child under the age of seven years is guaranteed a place in daycare heavily subsidised by the state.

This is considered essential by the government as over 80% of working women are mothers and women make up half the workforce.

Finland is comparable to Ireland in terms of population, GNP, dependency on exports and new technology for jobs and its past economy was largely agricultural.

But when women’s employment expanded rapidly in the 1960s the then developing welfare system in Finland included daycare with education and health as priority spending areas.

Childcare is the responsibility of the local authorities in each region.

Together with generous maternity and 43 weeks parental leave paid for by the state as a percentage of the parent’s normal salary, there is a choice of private or municipal day care. These are heavily subsidised with parents contributing about 15% of the real cost but the exact monthly sum is based on the family size and parents income.

Staff must have a qualification in social welfare and healthcare with one in three having a University degree.

As well as ensuring mothers can continue to work while their children are very young, the system also tries to allow parents stay at home until the child turns aged three.

The parent’s job is guaranteed for them during this time and they receive children’s allowance of about €250 a month per child.

Parents of young children can also reduce their working hours until the end of the child’s first school term and if their child under 10 years old is ill they are entitled to stay at home for four days to look after him or her.

Pre or play school is provided free in every area during the academic year.