00:02
This cultural centre is at the heart of Stockholm.

 
There is an exhibition space and a theatre in this building - plus an entire floor dedicated to children. They are entertained here with reading and creative activities. The facility is popular with both parents and children.

0:26
O-Ton baby
`Look how much pink!"

00:31
The primary objective of Swedish education is the development of personality at an early age. According to the latest findings, children will achieve more if they attend nursery school early on.

0:43
0:48 OT Ulla brass, Regional Nursery
CHRISTA
Most children have to attend nursery school when they turn one year old. In fact, most of the infants in our region are in nursery. That's incredible!

1:03
Up until the seventies people in Sweden were sceptical of outside care of their children.

1:09
1:11 OT Bengt-Erik Andersson, educator, Univ. Stockholm
MARTIN
Previously, the dominant attitude was that nursery schools are only an inferior substitute for the mother.

1:21
Worldwide there is only one long term study on the effects of early outside care of small children. Bengt Erik Andersson followed a group of children up to the age of 25 and found out that early nursery care made both children and adults happier. Twice as many children who were in nursery school for three years went on to university, which is one reason for Sweden's high rate of graduates.

1:46
1:50 OT Andersson:
MARTIN
This is only for very early outside care. Only those who attend nursery school at a very early stage will have a competitive edge. This is because it is important for children to get a lot of stimulation, especially in their first six months. And the nursery stimulates the children more, after their parents of course.

2:16
Great emphasis is placed on settling the baby effectively.

2:23
2:27 OT Brass
CHRISTA
We practice the parent-active model. This means that the parents will be here during the first three or four days and they accompany the children in all their activities.

2.40

After one week, they say `goodbye 'and go. It works wonderfully!

2:54
For most of the women in Stockholm it is now not a question of whether they want to have a child, but rather if they want to have a third.

3:04
OT Mother
KATINKA
When parents have two children they can each deal with one. But the children are in the majority when a third child is born. Then – when it comes to democratic voting – they win every argument.

3:20
Now, it is easier for women to decide whether to have a baby or not because the public nursery schools maintain a high standard. Every large school has an affiliated nursery school. And each teacher has a second degree.

This nursery school counts three men among the seven teachers. Caring for a child is no longer only part of a woman’s life in Swedish society.

3:45
OT Anders Bengtsson / Kindergarten teacher:
ALEX

3:46 `Stockholm’s labour market is very receptive to working mothers. Employers encourage women, even highly skilled women workers, to have a family life. It enhances the reputation of a company if they can say: `We employ women and enable them to lead a normal family life '

4:11
Nowadays, almost all Swedish fathers will take on paternity leave for a few months. They want to spend time with the children, seeing it as a rewarding break from their job.

The open-minded family policy has led to a veritable baby boom in recent years – hence a construction boom also occurred. 30,000 new places were created in nursery schools in Stockholm in the last decade. The city government is willing to invest in childcare, creating many new jobs.

4:43
Sweden has become a popular country for immigration and therefore it is essential that support is given to children from immigrant backgrounds. In this nursery school 36 different languages are spoken. Most urban nursery schools are now speaking about 50 different languages.

4:59
5:05 OT Brass
CHRISTA
Government money will be distributed amongst nursery schools according to socio-economic criteria. It depends on the social composition of your district and your budget for each child. When the parents have low income and education levels and when they are born abroad, then there is a very high level of support.

5:31
5:35 OT Bengstsson:
ALEX
In first instance, we try to use the money to employ people with an appropriate background. We particularly look for teachers who speak foreign languages.

5:49
ALEX
In the beginning we had the problem that groups with the same linguistic background have isolated themselves. So, we have actively gone into these communities and have hired competent people there. For example, we have a high demand of labour for the African and Asian languages. It was often difficult because many groups do not like it when the wife goes to work.

6:25
In the Stockholm District named Akalla the proportion of migrants is almost eighty percent. The Muslim nursery school opened twelve years ago. At first the authorities were sceptical, but eventually they supported the project.

6:42 OT Ulla Parkkinen / kindergarten director:
KATINKA
If one comes to a land where one feels like a stranger - if one is not sure whether one is accepted - then one secludes one’s self.

6:56
If someone is proud of their identity, then they are not afraid to show it, says the converted Swedish head of the nursery school. Simultaneously, this will also teach the children about the Swedish way of life.

7:10 Parkkinen
KATINKA
We are a Muslim school, but we follow the Swedish model of a nursery school. We import no children or education from Lebanon. We import no children or education from Afghanistan.

7:26
In Sweden, nursery schools are generally called ‘pre-schools'. They are seen as educational institutions, in which the personality of the children is established, and their creativity and social skills are encouraged.

7:40
7:43 Ulla Brass
CHRISTA
The problem with the word ‘pre-school’ is that there is no requirement to go to pre-school. Pre-school is not mandatory. This can lead to a democratic imbalance. Children who attended nursery school are a step ahead of children who did not. All children should get the same benefit - then it would feel right.