Place guarantee to ECEC

In Denmark, children are legally entitled to publicly subsidised ECEC provision. This entails that municipalities are obliged to ensure ECEC provisions for all children between the age of 26 weeks (approximately six months) and until they start primary and lower secondary school (usually around the age of six). 

The childcare guarantee from 26 weeks entails that there is no ECEC gap as the child is either covered by well-paid childcare leave or a guaranteed place in ECEC.

Guaranteed childcare does not mean that parents are entitled to a place in a specific day care facility, but they can request specific institutions and facilities. The individual municipality determines the guidelines for application and decides on admission to public day care institutions.

If the municipality is unable to fulfil the childcare guarantee, parents can either:

• Have their expenses covered at a day care facility in another municipality;

• Have their expenses covered for a place in a private day care institution;

• Receive a financial subsidy for minding their own child.

Compulsory ECEC for certain groups of children

The Act on Day Care Facilities stipulates compulsory ECEC for 25 hours a week for certain groups of children. This concerns one-year-old children who live in marginalised residential areas and who are not admitted to ECEC. The child must continue in compulsory ECEC until det municipality completes the statutory language evaluation when the child is two or three years old.

Affordability

When a child is enrolled in a day care facility, the parents must pay part of the expenses. The municipality must provide a subsidy of at least 75 per cent of the expenses for the place in ECEC. Consequently, the parents’ contribution comprises a maximum of 25 per cent of the expenses. 

In addition to the subsidy of at least 75 per cent, parents may also be entitled to:

• An income-based subsidy if the total household income is below a certain threshold;

• A sibling subsidy if the parents have more than one child in a day care facility;

• A treatment subsidy if their child has a significant and permanent physical or psychological impairment;

• A social-educational subsidy if the municipality assesses that the child’s time in day care is particularly necessary for social or pedagogical reasons and the issue of the fees makes it difficult for the child to attend day care.

These extra subsidies can cover part of or the entire parental payment.

The average monthly fees for ECEC in public day care institutions are DKK 3,600 (EUR 482) for children under the age of three and DKK 2,000 (EUR 268) for children over the age of three. The municipal council decides whether or not meals are included in the price for day care.

The municipality also provides financial subsidies for parents whose child attends private day care and for parents who choose to mind their own child at home. 

References

Bibliography

Lifeindenmark.dk (2025a): Income-based daycare subsidy, sibling subsidy and other subsidies. [Accessed 11 November 2025]

Lifeindenmark.dk (2025b): Rules for daycare facilities. [Accessed 11 November 2025]

Ministry of Children and Education (Børne- og Undervisningsministeriet), 2025: Admission to day care (Optagelse i dagtilbud). [Accessed 11 November 2025]

Legislation and official policy documents

Retsinformation (Legal Information), 2025: Act on Day Care Facilities (Bekendtgørelse af lov om dag-, fritids- og klubtilbud m.v. til børn og unge (dagtilbudsloven)), LBK no. 1038 of 11/08/2025. [Accessed 11 November 2025]