Lucia Bartůsková published in the prestigious International Journal of Early Childhood

The article by Lucia Bartůsková, co-authored with Lucie Milaniaková, brings an important shift in how institutional care for children under the age of three is understood in the Czech Republic. While official statistics indicate that only 3% of the youngest children are enrolled in childcare, this share rises to almost 20% once children’s groups are included. The research, published in the Q1-ranked International Journal of Early Childhood, analyses the development and geographical distribution of children’s groups since 2014. The findings show that these facilities represent an effective and flexible family policy instrument that significantly complements the capacity of traditional kindergartens. The authors also point out that excluding children’s groups leads to an underestimation of the true scale of public childcare provision and distorts the picture of work–family reconciliation opportunities in the Czech Republic.

The study traces how children’s groups have developed in Czechia since 2014, where they have been established, and how many children they are currently able to accommodate. The results suggest that for many families they offer a practical childcare option and meaningfully complement traditional kindergartens. Children’s groups also help reduce regional disparities, although in some areas provision remains limited due to lower household incomes and a shortage of places. “Without taking children’s groups into account, the picture of early childhood care in the Czech Republic is incomplete. Our research clearly shows that these services substantially expand the real availability of childcare,” explains Lucie Milaniaková.

The number of places in children’s groups has increased rapidly in recent years. While only 638 children under the age of three attended them in 2015, by 2024 children’s groups were offering more than 22,600 places. The study thus confirms that targeted public policy, often supported by European funding, can deliver long-term sustainable results. “Children’s groups are a functional family policy tool that supports not only children’s development but also parental employment, especially that of mothers,” adds Lucia Bartůsková.

The article is available here: Children’s Groups as an Effective Form of Early Childhood Care in the Czech Republic | International Journal of Early Childhood | Springer Nature Link