Examining Swedish profit and nonprofit child care: the relationships between adult-to-child ratio, age composition in child care classes, teaching and children’s social and cognitive achievements

Abstract

Because of severe economic cuts in the child care budget in Sweden from 1990 to 1993, a sharp increase in the number of children in child care classes has been observed (Lidholt & Norrman, 1994). Average class sizes have risen throughout the country, although there are great differences between, and even within, communities. In the early 1980s, it was rare to have more than 15 children in a class. In 1993, one third of classes had at least 18 children. Simultaneously with the increase in classes, the number of employees in child care centers decreased. During the 1980s, there were, on average, four children per full-time employee. In 1993, the number of children per full-time employee had increased to as much as six (Lidholt & Norrman, 1994). New laws have also had a significant impact on the Swedish child care system. Until 1991, profit-run child care centers could not, based on Swedish law, receive public funding. The average annual cost for one child in public agencies was about $10,000 US in 1993. The federal government and funding from local authorities subsidized approximately 90% of the cost, with parental fees financing the remaining 10%. This made it impractical to run private child care without public funding. However, after 1991, the local This study investigated the effects of program auspice (nonprofit vs. profit child care), adult-to-child ratios (1:4.6 ‐1:8.7), and age span of the child care class on teaching and children’s social and cognitive achievement. The sample included 394 3- to 5-year-old children from 32 child care centers. Results show that the profit child care centers had larger child groups than nonprofit child care centers, a lower adult:child ratio, and a positive staff attitude toward teaching goals. Age, gender, social background, and age span of the child care class were significant predictors of children’s social and cognitive achievements. Adult-to-child ratio and teaching style did not prove to be good predictors of children’s social or cognitive achievements.