Formal child care

Formal child care comprises:
- Day care for children in the age category 0-4;
- After-school care, i.e. before and after school hours and during holidays for primary school children;
- Host parent care provided by parent participation centres or host parents through a host parent agency.

Data on formal child care are based on the WKO database. The WKO database includes data on the type of child care (day care, after-school care and host parent care) and the number of hours care is provided. The WKO only applies to formal child care provided by centres registered with municipal authorities. Informal care is not covered by the WKO. Playgroups and facilities for staying at school during lunch time are not included in the WKO.

De WKO database is combined with the Labour Force Survey (EBB). It shows that there is a relation between working hours and the number of hours spent in formal child care facilities. Data from the EBB are based on one reference date, whereas the WKO database is based on a reference period of one year. Therefore, data from the EBB and WKO data do not necessarily agree. This problem is solved by selecting households which received a child care allowance both in 2006 and in 2007.