The UK is lagging behind much of Europe on public expenditure on earlyyears education and care. While Denmark spends around two per cent ofits gross domestic product on the sector, the UK spends just 0.5 percent, which also puts it behind Austria, Finland, France, Hungary,Norway and Sweden.
According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation andDevelopment's report into early childhood policies around the world,Starting Strong II, children and families in countries that invest wellin the sector are experiencing a number of benefits.
In Denmark, for example, the average employment rate for mothers withchildren under the age of six is 74 per cent, compared to just 57 percent in the UK. And in Norway parental fees for care are capped at 20per cent of the cost, whereas the report criticises the UK for the highcost of care, which acts as a barrier to many families, particularlythose on low incomes.
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