The number of municipal childminders (dagplejemos) who are paid to take care of children under the age of two is steadily declining in Region Zealand, reports DR.

Parents are instead opting to send their kids to a nursery (vuggestue) – normally because their more flexible opening hours suit their daily commute
better.

Zealanders have the longest commute in the country, logging an average of 65 kilometres each day.

In eight of its 12 municipalities, more kids are now sent to vuggestuer than to municipal childminders.

A marked decrease
In 2009, the childminders helped take care of 7,268 kids aged 0-2, while some 4,529 were sent to vuggestuer, according to Statistics Denmark.
Five years later, the figures had nearly reversed, with 4,150 infants at the daglepejmors and 5,159 at the vuggestuer in 2014.

Disappearing forever?
The FOA trade union worries municipal childminders may completely disappear from the market. According to FOA, the number nearly halved between 2007 and 2014.

However, some 15 percent of the municipal childminders who lost their jobs have been able to offer their services
privately.