The debate about childcare in Ireland is not really a debate at all because, as usual, it is dominated by one side, namely those who want a State-subsidised universal day-care system available to all. To this end, they heavily promote the ‘Nordic model’. In doing so, however, they fail to distinguish between different Nordic models.

Basically, there is a Finnish model and a Swedish model. Both provide very affordable day-care to parents, but after that there is a very big difference, because while the Finnish model also supports and subsidises home-care, the Swedish model very consciously does not. The Swedish State wants all children above the age of one in day-care. It thinks this is best for children, best for women and best of the economy.

This article by Jonas Himmelstrand (a former Iona Institute speaker) outlines the differences between the two models.

As he explains, in Finland the State offers parents a sum of €340 per month per child under three if they wish to look after their children at home.

According to Himmelstrand, Norway and Denmark also support home-care which leaves Sweden as the outlier.

The home-care allowance is very popular with Finnish parents. Whereas in Sweden 92 percent of two year olds are in day-care, in Finland the figure is only 52 percent, a 40 point difference.

These are the sorts of facts and figures our politicians need to consider when devising child-care policy. The danger is that they will end up adopting a Swedish model of day-care without giving any thought to the fact that in Scandinavia, the Swedish model is the exception.