Study title

Child Barometer 2024

Dataset ID Number

FSD4012

Persistent identifiers

https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD4012
https://doi.org/10.60686/t-fsd4012

Data Type

Quantitative

Authors

• Office of Ombudsman for Children

Abstract

The dataset examined children's opinions and experiences of pre-primary education (preschool). Children's views and experiences were explored through questions concerning, for example, toys, play, learning, bullying, rest and mealtime at preschool.

First, the child's parent was asked for background information on the child, family and parents, after which the child was interviewed. The first questions for the children concerned toys, play and friends at preschool. For example, the children were asked whether they were allowed to play enough at preschool. Next, the children were asked what they had learned, what they needed help with from adults and what they were good at in preschool. After this, the children's experiences of rest time and bullying at preschool were investigated. Finally, the children were asked about mealtime and, in general, what they considered the most boring and the best aspects of preschool.

Background variables included the language used in the interview, number of children in the family, child's living arrangements and gender, region and major region, family's financial situation, the educational level of the parent with the higher education, whether the child attended one-year or two-year pre-primary education, and whether the child participated in complementary pre-primary education and care and the frequency of participation.

Keywords

bullying; children; day nurseries; friends; learning; play; pre-primary education; pre-primary schools; preschool children

Topic Classification

• Social sciences (Fields of Science Classification)
• Children (CESSDA Topic Classification)
• Compulsory and pre-school education (CESSDA Topic Classification)

Series

Child Barometer

Distributor

Finnish Social Science Data Archive

Access

The dataset is (A) openly available for all users without registration (CC BY 4.0).

Data Collector

• Taloustutkimus

Time Period Covered

2024

Collection Dates

2024-04-08 – 2024-05-10

Nation

Finland

Geographical Coverage

Finland

Analysis/Observation Unit Type

Individual

Universe

Children aged 6-7 living in Finland, born in 2017, whose registered mother tongue is either Finnish or Swedish (excluding the Åland Islands)

Time Method

Cross-section

Sampling Procedure

Probability: Simple random

The sampling was carried out using simple random sampling from the Population Information System maintained by the Digital and Population Data Services Agency. The target population consisted of Finnish- and Swedish-speaking households in mainland Finland with a child born in 2017 at the time of data collection. Data collection focused on children whose registered mother tongue was either of Finland's official languages, Finnish or Swedish. Only individuals with a permanent address recorded in the Population Information System and without a non-disclosure order or a direct marketing ban were included in the selection. Both the child and one of their parents, primarily the mother, were drawn into the sample. A total of 4,000 individuals were selected through random sampling. The data were collected through telephone interviews, and the parents' phone numbers were obtained from Dun & Bradstreet Finland. An advance letter was sent to 3,800 households, of which 408 participated in the study.

The data collection was carried out using semi-structured interviews targeted at children. Nine interviewers conducted the telephone interviews in Finnish and Swedish. Approximately two weeks after the advance letter was sent, the parent's phone number, primarily the mother's, was called to ask about willingness to participate in the study. If both the parent and the child gave consent and agreed on a suitable time, the child's interview was conducted immediately or scheduled as needed. Interviewers recorded the children's responses verbatim, exactly as expressed by the child.

Collection Mode

Telephone interview

Research Instrument

Semi-structured questionnaire

Response Rate

11

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

Completeness of Data and Restrictions

For reasons of identifiability, the researcher has removed the original T5 postal code variable as well as names of persons and places occurring in open-ended responses. These removals are indicated in (parentheses).

The researcher has constructed the variables T5a and T5b from the original variable T5.

To prevent identification of respondents, the number of children (variable T1) was top‑coded, and one personal name mentioned in an open‑ended response in variable K13 was removed by FSD. Changes made at FSD are marked with [square brackets].

Weighting

The dataset includes a weighting variable, 'PAINOKERROIN”, which adjusts the data to be nationally representative by the child's age, gender, and place of residence.

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

Office of Ombudsman for Children: Child Barometer 2024 [dataset]. Data version 1.0 (2026-01-05). Finnish Social Science Data Archive [distributor]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.60686/t-fsd4012; URN: https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD4012

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 Publications

Tuukkanen, Terhi (toim.) 2025. Lapsibarometri 2025: ”Leikki on parasta” - lasten näkemyksiä eskarista. Lapsiasiavaltuutetun toimiston julkaisuja 2025:3. http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-400-349-0.