Abstract
This study asks how Finnish 6-year-olds who stay at home before school start compare in educational outcomes with children who attend public day care. Earlier studies have shown that participation in public day care can enhance school performance especially among disadvantaged children. In Finland, the child home care allowance scheme supports the home care of 6-year-olds if they have a younger sibling under the age of 3 who is also not attending public day care. We used as outcome variables grade point average after compulsory school at age 15 to 16 and dichotomous variable measuring completion of further education by age 25. The study utilized data of the birth cohort 1987 ( N = 4,928). The results show that staying at home before school start is associated with poorer school performance but not with completion of further education.
Highlights
Earlier studies have shown that enrolment in public child day care can enhance school performance especially among disadvantaged children (Blau & Currie, 2006; Brilli, Del Boca, & Monfardini, 2013; Burger, 2010; Currie, 2001; National Institute of Child Health and Human Development [NICHD], 2006; Ruhm, 2004)
A unique feature of the child home care allowance (CHCA) scheme is that if the family has an older child under the formal school age (7) who is not enrolled in public day care, the support for the family can be extended through a sibling supplement until the older child starts elementary school
The two-sample test of proportions showed that children who were in day care completed further education more often and had higher grade point average (GPA) (Table 2)
Summary
This study analyzes educational outcomes of child home care arrangements in Finland. A unique feature of the CHCA scheme is that if the family has an older child under the formal school age (7) who is not enrolled in public day care, the support for the family can be extended through a sibling supplement until the older child starts elementary school. Thereby, the government indirectly supports, in these cases, the home care of children until the formal school age. Other countries have experimented with CHCA programs for children under the age of 3, but to our knowledge, Finland is the only country where the support is offered to 6-year-olds via the sibling supplement (Duvander & Ellingsæter, 2016; Haataja & Valaste, 2014)
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