Study title

Early Childhood Education and Care Survey 2019

Dataset ID Number

FSD3578

Persistent identifier

urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD3578

Data Type

Quantitative

Authors

• Hietamäki, Johanna (Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare)
• Lammi-Taskula, Johanna (Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare)
• Närvi, Johanna (Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare)
• Alasuutari, Maarit (University of Jyväskylä)
• Kuusiholma, Julia (University of Jyväskylä)
• Ruutiainen, Ville (University of Jyväskylä)
• Räikkönen, Eija (University of Jyväskylä)
• Sulkanen, Mimmu (University of Jyväskylä)
• Eerola, Petteri (Tampere University)
• Fjällström, Salla (Tampere University)
• Karila, Kirsti (Tampere University)
• Kivimäki, Mirka (Tampere University)
• Paananen, Maiju (Tampere University)
• Repo, Katja (Tampere University)

Abstract

The survey examined the circumstances of families with four-year-old children regarding, among other topics, living arrangements, income, parental roles, childcare arrangements, and childcare allowances and vouchers. Respondents included the guardians of four-year-old children in Finland. The survey was conducted as part of the Finnish Childcare Policies: In/equality in Focus (CHILDCARE) research project, a joint collaboration by the University of Jyväskylä, Tampere University and Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare.

First, the respondents were asked about their four-year-old child's childcare arrangements. Questions examined what arrangements they had in place for their four-year-old and any other children and how satisfied they were with the arrangements. Further questions were asked based on whether the child was at home or looked after by an unpaid carer or in day care. Next, the respondents' work situation, work-life balance, well-being, and family circumstances were surveyed. Questions also focused on the respondents' financial situation and views on childcare policies.

Background variables included, among others, the respondent's municipality of residence (categorised), gender, age group, marital status, family composition, level of education, and current activity and employment. Additionally, background information relating to the child was collected, including the child's gender, living arrangements, and childcare arrangements. The education and current activity of the respondent's spouse/partner were also charted.

Temporal comparisons can be made between this dataset and dataset FSD3577 Early Childhood Education and Care Survey 2016 based on the randomised id variable.

Keywords

child care; child day care; child development; children; family life; labour and employment; parental role; parents; pre-primary education

Topic Classification

• Social sciences (Fields of Science Classification)
• Children (CESSDA Topic Classification)
• Family life and marriage (CESSDA Topic Classification)

Series

Childcare

Distributor

Finnish Social Science Data Archive

Access

The dataset is (D) available only by permission from the data depositor/creator.

Data Collector

• University of Jyväskylä
• Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare

Funders

• Academy of Finland. The Strategic Research Council (314317)

Time Period Covered

2019

Collection Dates

2019 – 2019

Nation

Finland

Geographical Coverage

Finland, Alajärvi, Hamina, Helsinki, Jyväskylä, Kittilä, Kuhmo, Lieksa, Oulu, Pietarsaari, Raasepori, Salo, Tampere, Ulvila

Analysis/Observation Unit Type

Individual

Family

Household

Universe

All parents and guardians whose child had been born between 1 October 2014 and 30 September 2015 and who were living in the municipalities of Alajärvi, Hamina, Lieksa, Kittilä, Kuhmo, Pietarsaari, Raasepori, Salo and Ulvila and in certain postal code areas of Helsinki, Jyväskylä, Oulu and Tampere, as well as all parents and guardians who participated in the 2016 survey regardless of their current municipality of residence

Time Method

Longitudinal: Cohort/Event-based

Sampling Procedure

Non-probability: Purposive

The invitation to participate in the study was sent to all parents and guardians whose child had been born between 1 October 2014 and 30 September 2015 and who were living in the municipalities of Alajärvi, Hamina, Lieksa, Kittilä, Kuhmo, Pietarsaari, Raasepori, Salo and Ulvila as well as in certain postal code areas of Helsinki, Jyväskylä, Oulu and Tampere. The invitation was also sent to all parents and guardians who participated in the 2016 survey regardless of their current municipality of residence. The municipalities of Kuhmo, Pietarsaari and Raasepori were added for this survey based on their geographical location, economic and demographic structures, and certain aspects of childcare allowances and vouchers and the early childhood education system in the municipality.

The sample was supplemented by sending invitations to parents and guardians with four-year-old children in three purposively selected postal code areas in the larger municipalities. The postal code areas were selected from the areas included in the 2016 survey so that the areas with the lowest employment rate and level of education and income among the population were selected for the 2019 study. Postal code areas that were known to have a larger population of immigrant residents were also included in the study. Additionally, the location of the postal code area in relation to the city centre as well as the day care and early childhood education opportunities in the area were taken into account. This was done to ensure that the study included areas both with and without private day care opportunities.

The online questionnaire was available in the Webropol tool in Finnish, Swedish or English. It was also possible to respond to a paper questionnaire, which was delivered to the respondents in Finnish with the second and third reminders to participate in the study. The survey was distributed to two parents or guardians of each child based on information from the Finnish population register. The survey was sent to 7,764 parents, and 1,871 parents responded from 71 different municipalities.

Collection Mode

Self-administered questionnaire: Paper

Self-administered questionnaire: Web-based (CAWI)

Research Instrument

Structured questionnaire

Response Rate

24

Data File Language

Downloaded data package may contain different language versions of the same files.

The data files of this dataset are available in the following languages: Finnish.

FSD translates quantitative data into English on request, free of charge. More information on ordering data translation.

Data Version

1.0

Related Datasets

FSD3577 Early Childhood Education and Care Survey 2016

Completeness of Data and Restrictions

Some of the respondents did not follow the instructions in the questionnaire and, for example, chose multiple options when responding to questions. The [huom] variable was created by the researcher to identify the respondents who had challenges responding to the questionnaire. Additionally, variables with the letter k in their name (e.g. b14_1k) have been corrected by the researcher in some way. This should be accounted for when analysing the data.

The anonymisation of the data was planned by the researcher, who categorised the following variables: respondent's age (b2_ika), marital status (B3_3lk), current activity of the respondent (B9M_lk1, b9M_lk2, B10M_lk1, B10M_lk2) and the respondent's spouse/partner (B9P_lk1, B9p_lk2, B10P_lk1, B10P_lk2), childcare arrangements for the four-year-old child (b11_lk1, b11_lk2) and respondent's country of birth (b77_2lk). The researcher's plan was followed and clarified at FSD by categorising the following variables: municipality of residence of the four-year-old child (Kunta), childcare arrangements for the four-year-old child (b11_lk1, b11_lk2) and the child's living arrangements (b7). Additionally, all open-ended responses and the following variables were removed from the data to prevent identification: variables regarding adoption and foster children (question 5), the variable denoting number of children in order of age (question 6) and the variable denoting the organiser of private day care (question 12).

The variable relating to question 35 was not delivered to FSD.

Weighting

There are no weight variables in the data.

Citation Requirement

The data and its creators shall be cited in all publications and presentations for which the data have been used. The bibliographic citation may be in the form suggested by the archive or in the form required by the publication.

Bibliographical Citation

Hietamäki, Johanna (Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare) & Lammi-Taskula, Johanna (Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare) & Närvi, Johanna (Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare) & Alasuutari, Maarit (University of Jyväskylä) & Kuusiholma, Julia (University of Jyväskylä) & Ruutiainen, Ville (University of Jyväskylä) & Räikkönen, Eija (University of Jyväskylä) & Sulkanen, Mimmu (University of Jyväskylä) & Eerola, Petteri (Tampere University) & Fjällström, Salla (Tampere University) & Karila, Kirsti (Tampere University) & Kivimäki, Mirka (Tampere University) & Paananen, Maiju (Tampere University) & Repo, Katja (Tampere University): Early Childhood Education and Care Survey 2019 [dataset]. Version 1.0 (2022-10-19). Finnish Social Science Data Archive [distributor]. https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD3578

Deposit Requirement

Notify FSD of all publications where you have used the data by sending the citation information to user-services.fsd@tuni.fi.

Disclaimer

The original data creators and the archive bear no responsibility for any results or interpretations arising from the reuse of the data.

Related Materials

Sulkanen, M., Närvi, J., Kuusiholma, J., Lammi-Taskula, J., Räikkönen, E., Alasuutari, M. (2020) Varhaiskasvatus- ja lastenhoitoratkaisut neljävuotiaiden lasten perheissä. CHILDCARE-kyselytutkimuksen 2019 perustulokset. Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitos (THL). Työpaperi 28/2020. Helsinki.

Related Publications

Närvi, J. & Lammi-Taskula, J. 2020. Varhaiskasvatuksessa ja kotihoidossa olevat nelivuotiaat. Onko lasten ja heidän vanhempiensa hyvinvoinnissa eroja? Yhteiskuntapolitiikka 85 (3), 283-292.

Sulkanen, M., Närvi, J., Kuusiholma, J., Lammi-Taskula, J., Räikkönen, E. & Alasuutari, M. (2020) Varhaiskasvatus- ja lastenhoitoratkaisut neljävuotiaiden lasten perheissä. CHILDCARE-kyselytutkimuksen 2019 perustulokset. Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitos (THL). Työpaperi 28/2020. Helsinki.

Weide, Henri (2023). Päivähoidon kehitys ja vanhempien näkemys sen tilasta vuonna 2019. Yhteiskuntapolitiikan kandidaatin tutkielma. Joensuu: Itä-Suomen yliopisto.