Parental perspectives on ECEC settings that foster child well-being: a comparison across nine European countries

The study investigates parents’ perspectives on which aspects of kindergarten promote children’s well-being. Parental assessments were compared across nine European countries to identify commonalities and differences. The study also focuses on how different national systems, such as unified or divided systems, influence parents’ priorities. The research question is: What are parents’ perspectives on the key features of kindergarten provision that promotes well-being for children under three years compared to children aged three to six years across nine European countries?

The study shows that parents emphasised process quality more than structural qualities for both age groups. For children under the age of three, parents prioritised care-oriented aspects such as safe adult-child relationships and individual attention. For children over the age of three, developmental aspects such as language, social development and learning activities were more prominent. Countries with unified systems, such as Norway, emphasised organisational aspects, while countries with divided systems placed more emphasis on the physical environment. The study concludes that parents’ viewpoints harmonise with kindergarten literature, and that process quality should be prioritised in politics and practice.

The researchers conducted structured interviews with 359 parents from nine European countries (Norway, England, Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and Portugal). The interviews included open-ended questions about what parents believe is important for promoting the well-being of children under three years of age and for children aged 3-6 years. Data were analysed using a coding system based on quality aspects from kindergarten literature.

van Trijp, C. P., Broekhuizen, M. L., Moser, T., Barata, M. C., Aguiar, C., & CARE research team. (2023). Parental perspectives on ECEC settings that foster child well-being: a comparison across nine European countries. International Journal of Early Years Education, 31(3), 579–597.

Online year: 2022

Issue year: 2023

Review year: 2022