ABSTRACT
If one compares the organization of day care in Sweden, the Netherlands, Italy, and France, one would place Sweden and the Netherlands at the two extremes, with France and Italy in intermediate positions. Due to changes in family structures and work, however, similarities among the various European countries have become apparent. The differences appear linked to the historical background of each country as well as to their political, religious, or scientific ideologies. In this commentary, I examine both similarities and contrasts among these countries with respect to maternal or parental leaves and the system of day-care centers and preschool programs for children up to and after 3 years of age. I conclude by discussing the controversial contributions of psychological research to the delicate problem of supporting and assisting the families of very young children.
