Comparison of early childhood education and care between the six largest cities

The number of children in early childhood education by age group and type of care from 2002, the days of attendance from 2005 and the number of personnel from 2008 in municipal daycare centres and the costs of the early childhood education system from 2009 in the six largest cities in Finland.

The reviews of early childhood education monitor the use and costs of municipal early childhood education and early childhood education purchased by the municipality, organised with a service voucher and supported with private day care allowance. The examination also includes pre-primary education according to the Basic Education Act and open early childhood education according to the Early Childhood Education Act.

The Six Cities comprise the six largest cities in Finland by population. In the order of population, the Six Cities are Helsinki, Espoo, Tampere, Vantaa, Oulu and Turku. The Kuusikko working groups compare the health and social services, employment services and early childhood education services in the cities. The data on customer numbers, services, personnel and costs are mainly compiled from the municipalities’ own information systems and financial statements. Experts from the cities agree on the most uniform definitions for data collection and implement the data collection in practice.