Copenhagen’s mayoral race puts childcare in spotlight

Copenhagen is set to elect a new mayor on 17 November, and the issue of childcare for local residents is emerging as a hot issue. One candidate, Frank Johnson of the Social Democrats, promises to place a daycare centre no further than 15 minutes by bicycle from anyone’s home.

The reason daycare has become such a pivotal issue is that Copenhagen has been suffering from a major lack in daycare centres over the last two years. The Copenhagen Post reports that at present the city estimates it needs at least 1,000 more daycare centres to accommodate the recent baby boom in the capital.

One proposal currently being floated in the city council is to provide transport for inner-city children to existing daycare centres in the suburbs. Many of these suburban centres are facing closure over a lack of children. Johnson wants Copenhagen to be “among the world’s best cities for children.” His opponents, however, are saying his lofty goal is no more than “hot air” since he’s offered no plan to pay for the daycare centres.

Johnson has been critical of the city’s failure to meet its own promise for childcare. The council recently axed its own plan to provide a childcare centre no more than 4kms from each parent’s home. There are nearly 40,000 kids under the age of five who require daycare in Copenhagen. Johnson thinks it will take his full 4-year term as mayor to fix the problem (if he gets elected).

To see more, check out the CPHPost.