Most children in the EU are in formal childcare

In 2024, 68.5% of children aged between 3 years and the minimum compulsory school age in the EU received formal childcare or education for at least 25 hours per week, while 20.8% received it for 24 hours per week or less. Only 10.8% of children were not in formal care or education.

Data shows that children at risk of poverty or social exclusion (AROPE) within the same age group are less likely to receive formal childcare or education. In 2024, 59.0% of children at risk received formal childcare or education for 25 hours or more, compared with 71.4% of children not at risk. Additionally, 17.6% of children at risk did not participate in any formal childcare or education, compared with 8.7% of children not at risk.

At the same time, children at risk of poverty or social exclusion had a higher likelihood (23.4%) of attending formal childcare and education from 1 to 24 hours than those not at risk (20.0%).

Source dataset: ilc_caindform25b