Day-care staffing levels remain nearly unchanged

Staffing ratios in Danish day-care centres were almost unchanged in 2025, according to new figures from Statistics Denmark reported by DR.

Municipal and self-governing centres had an average of 2.9 children per adult in nurseries and 5.8 in kindergartens. The nursery figure has not changed since 2023, while the kindergarten ratio improved slightly from 5.9 children per adult that year.

The statistics cover pedagogical staff, including pedagogical managers, educators and assistants. Minimum staffing requirements call for at least one adult for every three nursery children and one for every six kindergarten children.

Eight municipalities do not meet the staffing requirements. Seven named in the figures are Ringsted, Odder, Holstebro, Ikast-Brande, Struer, Brønderslev and Thisted. Rebild also falls short, but as a free municipality it operates under a different legal framework.

Children, Housing and Senior Citizens Minister Jacob Mark of SF said he would refer cases involving municipalities that appear not to meet the requirements to the municipal oversight body at the Danish Appeals Board. He also plans to write directly to the municipalities, asking them to improve conditions for children.

Staffing in home-based day care improved between 2024 and 2025, with the average falling from 3.2 children per adult to 3.0. The figures also show that home-based care is more popular in rural municipalities: 22 per cent of children aged zero to two are cared for this way, compared with two per cent in capital-area municipalities.