Multilevel relationships between individual childbearing and day care for young children in Europe: review of the literature

Abstract

In my study, I present the theoretical background of the relationship between daytime care for children under the age of three and individual childbearing, and the results of research, emphasizing territorial context, examining causality in six European countries. Based on sociological and economic approaches, as well as empirical experiences, I explain that of the four parameters of daytime care is primarily the availability of the services affects childbearing. I highlight how the country specific characteristics and the differences according to parity among the variables develop. In countries where the availability of daytime care is low, the parameter has mainly an influence on becoming a mother, where daytime care is widespread, the indicator has a smaller effect and rather helps the birth of a second or a third child. Research also draws attention to the importance of the lower and upper limits of availability. Furthermore, I present those shortcomings of the surveys that could be used as remedies for a wider and more detailed European research on the topic.