Dutch use childcare more than other EU countries

Across the European Union, half of all children under 3 years of age are looked after in childcare centres, with large differences between countries. In 2014, relatively more west European than east European children went to childcare centres. Seventy-seven percent of Dutch children received day care, compared with 27 percent of Bulgarian children.

Denmark front-runner in formal childcare

In Denmark, 70 percent of the youngest children were in some form of formal childcare in 2014. In Sweden and Norway this was the case for 50 percent of children. Most parents in eastern Europe make use of other – informal - childcare options. In most other countries, neither form is predominant, and parents use formal and informal options alongside each other. In the Netherlands, 45 percent of under-3s went to a day care centre or playgroup, and 64 percent were looked after (or also looked after) by relatives, child-minders or a nanny.

Dutch children spend relatively few hours in child care

Most countries where many children are taken to day care are countries where parents are more likely to work part-time. Not only do more people in the Netherlands and other west European countries such as the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Austria work part-time, but a relatively small percentage of children in these countries spend 30 hours or more a week in formal day care. Most east European children in formal childcare spend the whole week there.