According to multiple reports, all Swedish municipalities are legally required to offer at least 15 hours of preschool per week to children even when a parent is on full-time parental leave with a younger sibling. However, many municipalities provide more. In Skåne, most municipalities offer the minimum 15 hours, but Simrishamn, Vellinge, Lomma, Burlöv, and Lund offer 20 or 25 hours. Lund decided last autumn to expand to 30 hours. Gothenburg has also decided on 30 hours, which already applies in Stockholm. Malmö is the only one of the three major cities that still offers only 15 hours per week.
Parents who are on parental leave and simultaneously studying are entitled to more hours at preschool for the older child. According to SVT Nyheter, Mohamed Yassin, chair of the preschool committee in Malmö (Green Party), said that most parents who want more than 15 hours get it if the child needs it, even without studying. After the two-month period following the birth of a sibling, the older child is entitled to 15 hours per week for the rest of the parental leave. If a child has special needs due to family situation or physical, psychological, or other reasons requiring special support, this can affect the number of hours.
It's strange that it's so different.
According to SVT Nyheter, Maike Larsson, a parent on parental leave, described the disparities as strange. Sabina Kapic, another parent, told SVT Nyheter that 30 hours would be good so that parents can choose for themselves. She also noted that in her preschool, there are 20 children in the group and the staff have a lot to do. Mohamed Yassin explained that Malmö has focused on staff density and training, priorities that make the biggest difference for the children. He added that most guardians who apply for more time based on the child's needs get it, but expanding hours is a work environment issue that requires strengthening staff first.
In Malmö, we have focused on staff density and training staff. These are priorities that we see make the biggest difference for the children.
I think 30 hours would be good so that you can choose for yourself how many hours suit best.
In our preschool, there are 20 children in the group and you can see that the staff have a lot to do.
Yes, I have seen people tip about it in various Facebook groups.
Most guardians who apply for more time in preschool based on the child's needs also get it.
You can certainly do that, but it is also a work environment issue. We must start at the right end and strengthen the staff situation first.