ABSTRACT
In Zurich, the Department of Social Services plays an active role in pre school child care by supervising quality and monitoring supply and demand for child care services. Although, the supply has nearly doubled from 1,150 to 2,200 places in the last ten years, a recent survey (Sozialdepartement, 1999) shows that there remains a significant excess demand for child care facilities. In 2000, the Department of Social Services was interested to know, what kind of quantitative and qualitative benefits return from investments in child care centres. Consequently, the Department mandated a study on the economic costs and benefits of child care.
