Reykjavík's Preschool Initiative off to a strong start

Significant fee schedule changes were among the updates announced in February under what has become known as the Preschool Initiative. Among the changes are 36 hours of free care per week, a modest fee for 38 hours, and increased discounts for single parents and low-income families. Parents can still register children for up to 42.5 hours of care per week.

Sharp drop in registered care hours

Parents were invited to update their children's registrations ahead of the Preschool Initiative taking effect April 1, and the share of children registered for 36 hours per week or fewer has risen from 9% in October to 24% by the end of March. The share of children registered for 38 hours or fewer has also grown, from 10% to 23%. Over the same period, the proportion of children registered for 38 hours or fewer climbed from 10% to 23%.

In total, 47% of children are now registered for 38 hours or fewer per week, up from 19% in early October.

At the same time, enrollment for more than 40 hours per week has dropped sharply — down about 28 percentage points. In October, 81% of children were registered for 40 or more hours per week; that figure now stands at 53%.

Very optimistic about the changes

"There's a lot of change underway. About two-thirds of parents here have already updated their children's care hours. Most are shortening the day, and we can already see it will ease the pressure on Fridays — especially after 3pm. We're still piecing the schedule together, but we're very optimistic — things are looking good so far," says Ragna Kristín Gunnarsdóttir, preschool director in Vogabyggð.

Flexibility also emerging in the mornings

Ragna Kristín says parents are also reducing morning hours, which is creating new flexibility in how the preschool organizes its day. "Some parents appreciate being able to sleep in a little, and it shows we may have been somewhat fixed in the assumption that everyone wants an early start. It really comes down to the staff available at any given time."

According to Ragna Kristín, the collaboration with parents has been exceptional and has played a key role throughout the process. "Parents have responded incredibly well, and we can feel that they want to support us through these changes. It's wonderful to feel that solidarity and to have parents with us on this," she says. "Of course, some families aren't able to take advantage of this flexibility, and that's completely understandable. What matters is that they can still access the services they need," Ragna Kristín concludes.