Leisure-time centres for 6–9 year old children in Iceland; policies, practices and challenges

Leisure-time centres (LTC) for six to nine-year-old children have in the last decades become a part of the basic services provided by municipalities in Iceland. LTC provide care and organized leisure-activities during out-of school hours while parents work or study. A national survey from 2014 showe...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Pálsdóttir, Kolbrún, Kristjánsdóttir, Steingerður
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Verlag Barbara Budrich 2017
Subjects:
Online Access:https://dx.doi.org/10.25656/01:22570
https://www.pedocs.de/frontdoor.php?source_opus=22570
Description
Summary:Leisure-time centres (LTC) for six to nine-year-old children have in the last decades become a part of the basic services provided by municipalities in Iceland. LTC provide care and organized leisure-activities during out-of school hours while parents work or study. A national survey from 2014 showed that 92% of municipalities in Iceland operated LTC as opposed to 75% in 2010 and that around 60% of all six-to-nine-year-old children attend leisure-time centres (Pálsdóttir, 2014). However, participation is much higher for children from grades 1 and 2 and declines dramatically in grades 3 and 4. In this article, the authors introduce policy in Iceland with regard to LTC and discuss challenges that lie ahead. (DIPF/Orig.)