According to an analysis by the Ifo Institute, which evaluates OECD data across European countries, children from lower-income families utilize daycare centers significantly less frequently. The social disparities are most pronounced in France, where the utilization rate for toddlers under three years old is 43 percentage points higher among the wealthiest third of families compared to the poorest third. Switzerland also shows a large difference (37 percentage points), followed by Ireland (25 percentage points) and the Netherlands (24 percentage points). In Germany, the gap is much smaller, measuring only about eight percentage points.
Ifo education researcher Henning Hermes stated that the issue is “principally not a lack of will on the part of parents.” He noted that many disadvantaged families actively desire childcare for their children but are prevented from accessing it due to limited available spots, high costs, or complicated enrollment processes. Differences are minimal in the Nordic and several Central and Eastern European countries. For children aged three to five, the authors found that disparities are considerably smaller, though they persist in most nations.
The authors identify the lack of available placements as the most significant hurdle, a problem closely tied to staff shortages and the comparatively low wages paid to educators. Additional barriers include the expenses, complicated and inconsistent application procedures, and insufficient information. Up to a quarter of low-income households reported being unable to cover the costs of childcare due to financial constraints.
Simon Wiederhold, from the Leibniz Institute for Economic Research Halle and co-author of the study, commented on the financial burden. He pointed out that in countries like the Netherlands or Ireland, merely securing a spot in a nursery can cost couples more than one-fifth of their average dual-income earnings, which systematically excludes the very children who would benefit most from early education.
