All municipalities must offer at least 15 hours in preschool, even when a parent is on full-time parental leave with a younger sibling. In Skåne, most municipalities cap at 15 hours, but Simrishamn, Vellinge, Lomma, Burlöv, and Lund offer 20 or 25 hours. Lund decided last fall to expand to 30 hours, and Gothenburg has also set 30 hours. Malmö is the only one of the three major cities that still only offers 15 hours per week. According to SVT Nyheter, Maike Larsson described the variation as strange.
For families with parental leave and additional children, special provisions apply. In Malmö, if a parent has another child and takes parental leave, the older child can attend preschool 30 hours per week for two months after the birth. After that, the older child has the right to 15 hours per week for the rest of the parental leave. If a parent studies during parental leave and study time exceeds 15 hours, they have the right to the hours in preschool or family daycare needed for studies including travel time.
Guardians can apply for more than 15 hours per week, known as extended stay time, with the principal at the relevant preschool deciding whether to grant it. If a child has special needs due to family situation or for physical, mental, or other reasons requiring special support in development, this can affect the number of hours. According to SVT Nyheter, Mohamed Yassin, chairman of the preschool committee in Malmö, said most guardians who apply for more than 15 hours based on child needs also get it, even without studying.