Extended Education in Sweden: Exploring the School-Age Educare Model

By Dr. Karin Lager, Associate Professor in Child and Youth Studies at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden

When people outside Sweden hear about our educational system, they are often surprised to learn that many Swedish children do not simply leave school at the end of the day and return home. Instead, a very large proportion of children participate in what we call Fritidshem—school-age educare, or what can be translated as “leisure-time home.”

This system has been part of Swedish society for decades and reflects something deeper than an after-school program. It reflects a national belief that children need environments where care, relationships, recreation, learning, and participation are integrated into everyday life.

In Sweden, nearly all children between the ages of six and nine attend school-age educare, and many continue until the age of twelve. The centers are typically located inside or adjacent to schools and are open before school begins and long after the regular school day ends. In this way, the school building becomes not only a place for academic instruction but also a community environment for children’s broader development.

The origins of this system are important to understand. Modern Swedish educare developed out of policy reforms in the 1960s that connected social policy, labor policy, educational policy, and ideas about equality. The goal was not simply supervision while parents worked. The goal was to create environments that support children’s development and well-being while also making participation in working life possible for families.

Even earlier, in the late nineteenth century, Sweden established “work cottages” for children who spent significant time in the streets. Those early institutions aimed to provide children with structure, relationships, and meaningful activity. Interestingly, some of the public discussions we hear today still return to these same concerns: How do we create meaningful spaces for children outside formal schooling? How do we prevent isolation or exclusion? How do we support young people’s social and emotional development?

Today, school-age educare in Sweden is formally connected to the national curriculum. The curriculum highlights learning, care, meaningful leisure, democracy, participation, and children’s rights. This is important because the work is not seen as separate from education. Instead, it is understood as part of children’s total developmental experience.

One aspect that I believe distinguishes the Swedish model internationally is our emphasis on professional preparation. Educators in school-age educare are trained through university-based teacher education programs focused specifically on leisure-time pedagogy. These educators are expected to understand children’s interests, relationships, participation, and social development—not only academic instruction.

At the same time, we must also be honest about current challenges. Sweden has a strong policy vision, but implementation is uneven. Only around 40 percent of staff currently hold the intended teaching qualifications. Child groups have become larger, and unlike some countries, Sweden does not regulate child-staff ratios nationally. As a result, quality differs significantly between municipalities and even between individual centers.

In my own research, I have described three different types of environments children may experience. The first is the abandoned space, where children are physically present but receive little meaningful interaction or engagement. The second is the activity space, where children are offered activities but relationships and community remain limited. The third is the community space, where relationships between children and educators become central, and where participation, belonging, and shared experiences shape the environment.

For me, this last model represents the true promise of educare.

Another important issue emerging in Sweden today concerns equity. Traditionally, the vast majority of children participated in school-age educare. However, access is tied to whether parents are working or studying. Increasingly, researchers and policymakers are questioning whether this excludes some of the children who may benefit the most—particularly children growing up in poverty or social vulnerability. These issues remind us that educational systems must continually evolve alongside social change.

Despite the challenges, I continue to believe that the Swedish experience offers important lessons internationally. Children need spaces beyond the formal classroom where they can build relationships, develop agency, experience safety, and engage in meaningful activities. Extended education is not only about adding more hours to the day. It is about creating environments where children can thrive as whole human beings.