The limits of the welfare state

http://www.nationalpost.com/todays-paper/limits+welfare+state/4673776/story.html

Jonas Himmelstrand, National Post
Apr. 26, 2011 | Last Updated: Apr. 26, 2011 4:07 AM ET

While preparing for a trip to Canada, I have learned that many Canadians 
consider my country, Sweden, to be a model for good family policy. After 
all, Sweden has a universally accessible, government-funded daycare 
system, and a 2006 study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and 
Development ranked Sweden at the top and Canada at the bottom in childcare 
provision. Indeed, Swedish family policies are internationally admired, 
offering comprehensive and affordable daycare, gender equality and a high 
percentage of women in paid work. This, however, is only one half of the 
story.

True, parental leave in Sweden is a generous 16 months. There are no 
babies in daycare. But when parental leave ends, practically the reverse 
is true: A full 92% of all children aged 18 months to five years are in 
daycare. Parents pay only a symbolic amount for this; tax subsidies for 
daycare are $20,000 per child, annually. Swedish taxes are among the 
highest in the world, and the tax system was designed to make both parents 
seek employment in the work force.

Studies show that most Swedes also want the option of a home-care 
allowance for the first three to four years of their child's life. The 
winning centre-right coalition in the 2006 Swedish national election made 
this promise. After the election, however, political compromises resulted 
in an allowance which was small, difficult to use and was not mandatory 
-local governments could decide whether or not to offer it. Only a third 
of Swedish municipalities chose to do so.

Then there are the questions about the social toll Sweden's childcare 
system is taking. Sweden has offered a comprehensive daycare system since 
1975; since the early '90s, negative outcomes for children and adolescents 
are on the rise in areas of health and behaviour. While direct causation 
has been difficult to prove, many Swedish health-care professionals point 
to the lack of parent involvement beyond the first 16 months as a primary 
contributing factor. Psychosomatic disorders and mild psychological 
problems are escalating among Swedish youth at a faster rate than in any 
of 11 comparable European countries. Such disorders have tripled among 
girls over the last 25 years. Education outcomes in Swedish schools have 
fallen from the top position 30 years ago, to merely average amongst OECD 
nations today. Behaviour problems in Swedish classrooms are among the 
worst in Europe.

This isn't surprising. After a generation of inexperience, Swedish 
parenting abilities are deteriorating. A study sponsored by the European 
Union showed many middleclass parents lack the ability to set limits and 
sense their children's needs.

Recently, Swedish public service radio investigated the state of Swedish 
daycares. Parents, psychologists and daycare staff expressed deep concern. 
In spite of high funding levels, group size and the child-to-adult ratio 
continue to increase. An experienced pre-school teacher recalls that in 
1980 the group size for small children was 10 kids with four adults. For 
older children, that ratio was five kids per adult. But after the Swedish 
financial crisis 20 years ago, this changed. Today younger children face 
ratios of up to 17 kids to three adults and older children face ratios of 
up to 10 to one. Staff on sick leave are not replaced. "We can't give 
quality care today," one teacher reported. Only one person interviewed 
contended that Swedish daycare is still top quality -the Swedish Deputy 
Minister of Education, Nyamko Sabuni.

These problems are not caused by poverty or social distress. Sweden is 
materially rich, wealth is evenly distributed, child poverty is low, 
health care is practically free for all, social security is strong, life 
expectancy is high, infant mortality is the lowest in the world and Sweden 
has enjoyed peace since 1809. Instead these troubles run parallel with 
family policies that don't allow parents sufficient time, energy and 
opportunity to build close and healthy relationships with their children.

Making childrearing a state responsibility has not proven to be a success. 
Put simply, parents are willing to sacrifice more for their children than 
any government where childcare is just one budgetary item among many. 
Canadians should carefully consider all of the available facts before 
looking to Sweden as a model for childcare.

? Jonas Himmelstrand is an author and founder of The Mireja Institute 
(Mireja.org). He is speaking in Ottawa on May 5.

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