Eurofound project on assessing childcare services in Europe

Date: 4th February 2013
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care

The 2013 work plan of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions plans to conduct a study to assess childcare services in Europe.

The project will include country reports describing the approaches to evaluation and the assessment tools used in different countries, making reference to existing quality frameworks developed at EU level.

As part of each country report there will be three case studies of specific evaluations. These case studies will show what can be learnt from efficient evaluations of the effectiveness of services and reforms, thus showing good practice in service reform, delivery and evaluation. In addition to this, there will be a methodological review of the pros and cons of each type of policy evaluation as discussed in academic literature and policy documents.

Eurofound will carry out a review of policy and academic literature dealing with the different types of evaluation of childcare services. Five country reports will be contracted out in 2013. Each country report will cover the existing evaluation frameworks and describe three case studies with examples of evaluation of specific services, including information about the indicators used and the overall cost of the evaluation.

A consolidated report will be produced bringing together information from the case studies and the literature review of evaluation methods.

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