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Getting a head start: early provision of day care among municipalities in Norway
Author(s) -
Reitan T. C.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of social welfare
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.664
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1468-2397
pISSN - 0907-2055
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-2397.1997.tb00198.x
Subject(s) - politics , representation (politics) , per capita , democracy , demographic economics , day care , logistic regression , service (business) , child care , per capita income , political science , economic growth , demography , economics , sociology , medicine , nursing , economy , population , law
Municipal day care services for children in Norway have experienced two important reforms: the introduction of the Kindergarten Act in 1975, and the introduction of preschools for 6‐year‐olds in 1991. Focusing on the relationship between environmental inputs and policy outcomes, this article attempts to identify characteristics influencing the propensity towards early provision of day care in the municipalities. Applying logistic regression, service‐specific factors show the greatest importance, as opposed to more general municipal features. The political system, in terms of high female representation and low representation from the Christian Democratic Party, the Center Party, and the Progress Party in local councils, seems responsive to the proportion of children, the percentage of women working full time, and average net income per capita. The persisting importance of gender‐specific variables is discussed – suggesting different interpretations of the results in relation to the feminization of politics.