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Time gap between termination of paid parental leave and eligibility for early childhood education and care services in Croatia
Ana Marija Sikirić Simčić* 
Article | Year: 2025 | Pages: 591 - 614 | Volume: 49 | Issue: 4 Received: October 11, 2024 | Accepted: July 15, 2025 | Published online: December 2, 2025
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FULL ARTICLE
FIGURES & DATA
REFERENCES
CROSSMARK POLICY
METRICS
LICENCING
PDF
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Variables names
|
Coefficient (b)
|
Std. error (SE)
|
z-value
|
p-value
|
Odds ratio (OR)
|
95% CI for OR
|
|
Residence size (LGU)
|
-0.218
|
0.081
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-2.680
|
0.007
|
0.804
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0.686 – 0.943
|
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Child’s month of birth (CMONTH)
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-0.116
|
0.024
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-3.900
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0.000
|
0.890
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0.840 – 0.944
|
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Employment status (EMPL)
|
0.292
|
0.433
|
0.670
|
0.500
|
1.339
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0.573 – 3.128
|
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Constant
|
0.761
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0.495
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1.740
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0.125
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2.140
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0.810 – 5.651
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Source: Own calculations using STATE/SE 13.0.
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Themes
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Number of participants
|
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Insufficient capacity and
long waiting lists
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103
|
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Overcrowded groups and staff shortages
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96
|
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Inflexible and unfair
enrolment policies
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44
|
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Positive experiences
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35
|
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Mismatch with parental work
schedules
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20
|
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High costs
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19
|
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Reliance on informal care
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17
|
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Quality of care and dedication of staff
|
14
|
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Impact on child and family
well-being
|
12
|
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Do you plan to utilise early childhood education and care
services after finishing parental leave?
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Yes
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No
|
|
|
f
|
%
|
f
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%
|
|
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Yes
|
63
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46.0
|
18
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31.0
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No, because I choose
to look after the child myself
|
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Yes, but I have to
wait for the start of the new pedagogic year (beginning of September)
|
68
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49.6
|
39
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67.2
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No, because I have
alternatives (e.g., grandparents, hired lady)
|
|
Yes, but I am not
able to due to other reasons
|
6
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4.4
|
1
|
1.7
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No, due to other
reasons
|
|
Total
|
137
|
100
|
58
|
100
|
|
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Do you utilise early childhood
education and
care services?
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Yes
|
No
|
|
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f
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%
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f
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%
|
|
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Yes, after finishing
parental leave
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172
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51.7
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35
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24.1
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No, because I choose
to look after the child myself
|
|
Yes, but I had to
wait for the start of the new pedagogic year (beginning of September)
|
123
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36.9
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19
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13.1
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No, because I was on
sick leave to look after my pregnancy or was on extended parental leave
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I had planned to do
so, but it was too expensive
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4
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1.2
|
85
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58.6
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No, because I have
alternatives (e.g., grandparents, hired lady)
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I had planned to do
so, but we are currently on the waiting list (or we were)
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34
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10.2
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6
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4.1
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No, due to other
reasons
|
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Total
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333
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100
|
145
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100,0
|
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Source: Author.
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Tabulation of CMONTH CGAP, RSIZE CGAP and EMPL CGAP
|
|
|
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CMONTH – Child's
month of birth
|
CGAP (Care gap)
|
|
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0 – no care gap
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1 – care gap present
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Total
|
|
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1 –
January
|
23
|
17
|
40
|
|
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2 –
February
|
19
|
18
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37
|
|
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3 –
March
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15
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15
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30
|
|
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4 – April
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12
|
27
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39
|
|
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5 – May
|
10
|
20
|
30
|
|
|
6 –
June
|
11
|
22
|
33
|
|
|
7 –
July
|
26
|
16
|
42
|
|
|
8 –
August
|
26
|
12
|
38
|
|
|
9 –
Sptember
|
23
|
6
|
29
|
|
|
10 –
October
|
24
|
12
|
36
|
|
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11 –
November
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23
|
9
|
32
|
|
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12 –
December
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22
|
11
|
33
|
|
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Total
|
234
|
185
|
419
|
|
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Pearson
Chi2 = 39.81 Prob = 0.0000
|
|
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RSIZE –
Residence size
|
CGAP(Care gap)
|
|
|
0
|
1
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Total
|
|
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1 –
up to 10.000 citizens
|
64
|
70
|
134
|
|
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2 –
10.000 to 50.000 citizens
|
55
|
46
|
101
|
|
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3 –
50.000 to 100.000 citizens
|
24
|
15
|
39
|
|
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4 – more
than 100.000 citizens
|
91
|
56
|
147
|
|
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Total
|
234
|
187
|
421
|
|
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Pearson
Chi2 = 6.31, Prob = 0.0974
|
|
|
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EMPL -
Employment status
|
CGAP (Care gap)
|
|
|
0
|
1
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Total
|
|
|
0
|
15
|
10
|
25
|
|
|
1
|
219
|
177
|
396
|
|
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Total
|
234
|
187
|
421
|
|
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Pearson
Chi2 = 0.21, Prob = 0.6467
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Source: Author.
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December, 2025
IV/2025
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