Eight Danish Municipalities Fail Kindergarten Staffing Ratios

If you have young children in Danish daycares, staffing levels are improving across Denmark. However, eight municipalities failed to meet legal kindergarten staffing ratios in 2025. Statistics Denmark released these figures on Monday.

The affected areas are Ringsted, Odder, Holstebro, Ikast-Brande, Struer, Brønderslev, Rebild, and Thisted. Danish law requires one staff member for every six children in kindergartens. In 2024, fourteen municipalities missed this standard.

For nurseries, the law requires one employee for every three children. Five municipalities failed this rule last year. They are Bornholm, Holstebro, Ikast-Brande, Thisted, and Rebild.

The childcare trade union BUPL welcomed overall improvements. However, union leader Elisa Rimpler warned that official counts can be misleading. Municipalities often count managers and long-term sick workers in their totals. The share of trained pedagogues fell from 57 percent to 50.6 percent last year.

Children Minister Jacob Mark called the failures unacceptable. He plans to send warning letters to the eight municipalities. Denmark’s municipal supervisory authority, Ankestyrelsen, will also review them and could issue fines. Source: Copenhagen Post.