History of Early Education Institutions in Europe : from WWII until the Recent Reforms

This volume collects chapters on the history of educational and childcare services in various European countries since the period following World War II, with the aim of shedding light on legislative reforms and the change in educational methods that affect children up to three years of age. From a comparative point of view, the different chapters – written by fifteen authors (Catherine Bouve, Janet De Vigne, Diana Franke-Meyer, Noémi Janek, Eleni Kainourgiou, Tora Korsvold, Claudine Marissal, Eleni Mousena, Aggné Veronika Pirka, Tiziana Pironi, David Salomoni, Carmen Sanchidrián Blanco, Simona Salustri and Johannes Westberg) – describe the history of the day nurseries in France and Belgium, Sweden and Norway, Germany and Scotland, Spain and Portugal, Italy, Greece, Hungary, and the Soviet Union, paying particular attention to the important process of transformation from welfare institutions to educational services for children from birth to three years of age. In the context of the European policy field of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC), which deals with children from birth to compulsory school age, such institutions are undergoing a further evolution towards a European model of preschool education. This volume aims to deepen a story that is still little known and investigated. It is aimed at students and educators in educational science courses, because knowledge of the past can be the basis for better analysis and development of the reforms in progress. The recent development implementation of the integrated 0–6 system (of nurseries and kindergarden), a well-known and integrated education and training system from birth up to six years underway in Italy, is part of these recent changes.