Ganztagskinderbetreuung und territoriale Herrschaftsstrukturen

The matter of providing early childhood education and care has become a central component of welfare state policies in post-industrial societies. This book traces the development of this policy area through a historical longitudinal analysis of Germany, Canada and Sweden. It focuses on the question of the impact their territorial state organisation has had on the design of their respective care systems. In addressing this question, the study examines the characteristics of the allocation of responsibilities, financing, regulation and the participation of subnational units in national policy formulation. The analysis illustrates that the crucial dividing line does not run between federal and unitary systems; instead, the establishment of a universalistic and at the same time high-quality full-time childcare system is, first and foremost, determined by the relationship between the requirements imposed by the central government and the courses of action open to the decentralised units.