This book explores the increasing role of private providers in early childhood education and care (ECEC) as they become a core part of the Nordic welfare model—one that once rejected for-profit involvement in public welfare.

1 Introduction.- Introduction.- The Nordic Welfare Model.- The Share of Public, Nonprofit, and For-Profit Welfare Providers.- ECEC in the Nordic Countries.- Three Sets of Goals for ECEC.- Challenges Facing ECEC in the Nordic Countries: Demographic Changes, Accessibility, and Educational Approach.- Explaining Institutional Change.- Approaches to the Provision of Welfare Services.- The Three Actors in the Welfare Mix.- Public Provision or Privatization?.- The Welfare Sector as a Quasi-Market.- The Role of Nonprofit Providers as Part of the Welfare Mix.- The Remainder of This Book: ECEC From a Comparative Nordic Perspective.- References.- 2 Shared Roots—Private Initiatives Along Two Trajectories.- Introduction.- The Dual Trajectory of the ECEC System.- Trajectory 1: Charities Establish Children’s Asylums as Protectors from the Dangers of Streets.- Trajectory 2: Philanthropic Kindergartens and For-Profit Child Residential Homes for Wealthy Families.- The Merging of the Two Trajectories.- Fostering a Nordic ECEC Model Through Kindergarten Teacher Education.- Chapter Summary.- References.- 3 From the Fringes to the Heart of the Welfare State—Growth in ECEC Coverage.- Introduction.- Legislative Foundation.- Consolidation and Growth.- Full Coverage.- Chapter Summary.- References.- 4 Changes in the Role of Commercial and Nonprofit ECEC Providers—Deviations from the Nordic Welfare Model?.- Introduction.- Private Growth.- Explaining the Growth of Private Actors: Framework Conditions, Financing, and Public Debates.- Chapter Summary.- References.- 5 Reigning in Provider Diversity? Regulation, Steering, and Supervision.- Introduction.- Educational Promotion—The Rationale for State Steering.- National Policies Pursued in Terms of Regulation and Curriculum.- Securing Compliance—Supervision.- Soft Steering—Manuals and Evaluations.- Chapter Summary.- References.- 6 Does It Matter? Quality Differences Among Public, Nonprofit, and For-Profit Providers.- Introduction.- Theoretical Underpinnings of Different Ownership and Quality.- Quality of ECEC.- International Experiences: Quality Differences Among Public, Nonprofit, and For-Profit ECEC?.- Research in the Nordic Countries on Quality Differences Among Public, Nonprofit, and For-Profit Providers.- Chapter Summary.- References.- 7 Conclusions.- Introduction.- Why Private Growth in Nordic ECEC?.- How to Respond to Adverse Effects From Marketization? Nordic Attempts to Reign in Quasi-markets.- Governance Challenges in the Welfare Mix.- Why Diversity in Provision?.- A Nordic Dimension in ECEC Governance?.- References.

“This book is unique in analyzing the development of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) in Nordic European societies from a welfare mix perspective. Albeit subject to “This book is unique in analyzing the development of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) in Nordic European societies from a welfare mix perspective. Albeit subject to national variation, the Nordic model of ECEC has transited from publicness, childcenteredness, and transparency towards greater reliance on for-profit provision, service diversification, and performativity. The book is brilliant and convincing in identifying both the drivers and pathways of this profound institutional change.”—Antoni Verger, Professor of Sociology, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain “This is a much-needed and timely book on ECEC governance in the Nordic welfare states. The readers are provided with detailed comparative accounts of diverging and converging Nordic trends. In addition, the book fruitfully addresses a wider and crucial contemporary issue in the Nordic welfare states—the(contested) role of private providers. These features make this book a very important contribution.” —Linda Rönnberg, Professor in Educational Work, Umeå Unversity, Sweden This book explores the increasing role of private providers in early childhood education and care (ECEC) as they become a core part of the Nordic welfare model—one that once rejected for-profit involvement in public welfare. Within this context, ECEC has become the key battleground over private providers’ role in the welfare system. Chapters compare five Nordic countries: Iceland, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, to discuss possible benefits from having different types of providers—public, nonprofit, and for-profit—in the welfare mix. To conclude, the authors also provide a comparative perspective on governance of the ECEC sector and on thedevelopment and functions of the Nordic welfare model. Håkon Solbu Trætteberg is Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Social Research, Norway. Karl Henrik Sivesind is Research Professor at the Institute for Social Research, Norway. Maiju Paananen is Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education at Tampere University, Finland. Steinunn Hrafnsdóttir is Professor in the Faculty of Social Work at the School of Social Sciences, University of Iceland.

“Though the book focuses on childhood education and care in the Nordic countries, the Quadruple’s work equally applies to other countries, developed and developing, making this book worth reading.” (James Mawanda, Voluntas, Vol. 35 (4), 2024)

“This is a much needed and timely book on ECEC governance in the Nordic welfare states. The readers are provided with detailed comparative accounts of diverging and converging Nordic trends in this largely under-researched domain. In addition, the book fruitfully addresses a wider and crucial contemporary issue in the Nordic welfare states - the (contested) role of private providers. Taken together, these features make this book a very important read and contribution.” (Dr. Linda Rönnberg, Professor, Umeå University)“This book is unique in analyzing the development of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) in Nordic European societies from a welfare mix perspective. Albeit subject to national variation, the Nordic model of ECEC has transited from publicness, child-centeredness, and transparency towards greater reliance on for-profit provision, service diversification, and performativity. The book is brilliant and convincing in identifying both the drivers and pathways of this profound institutional change.” (Antoni Verger, Professor of Sociology, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain)

Provides a comparative perspective of ECEC between five Nordic countries Focuses on the role of private providers, new public management, and governance issues in ECEC Explores quality differences among public, non-profit, and for-profit providers

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