The childcare gap remains one of the most pressing challenges facing new parents across Europe today.
This gap arises following the birth of a child, when well-paid parental leave has been exhausted, but access to state-supported full-time Early Childhood Education and Care is not yet available.
During this critical window, families are left navigating the complexities of childcare without adequate support, often facing difficult decisions about work, finances, and caregiving responsibilities.
All these options place a significant financial burden on families, exacerbating existing inequalities.
- Parents may delay their return to work to care for their children personally, despite inadequate financial compensation.
- Others turn to private childcare solutions, without state support.
- Other parents exit the workforce altogether.
Drawing on data from the SEEPRO3 project and the International Network on Leave Policies & Research this new Factsheet by the European Observatory on Family Policy, developed in collaboration with COFACE Families Europe and the Families Studies Centre of Odisee hogeschool provides a timely and comprehensive overview of this issue across the European Union at the beginning of 2025.
