
78 Practicing the family/families in welfare state contexts
1 The contemporary early childcare system in Denmark is a voluntary state-subsidised system
consisting of dagpleje (care provided in a private home), and vuggestuer (nurseries), both
serving children aged from six months to three years. Three-year-old children attend børne-
haver (kindergartens) until starting primary school at the age of six. Many of those working
in these institutions are certied pædagoger (preschool teachers), who have bachelor level
qualications from a university college. Public funding covers approximately 75 per cent of
costs, with the remainder paid by parents.