Social Democrats want 12-child cap for youngest preschool groups

Sweden's Social Democrats want binding national caps of 12 children in preschool groups for ages one to two and 15 for ages three to five.

The election promise would replace guidance with legal limits. Skolverket currently recommends groups of six to 12 for younger children and nine to 15 for older children, but Sweden has no numerical statutory maximum.

SVT reports that as many as one-third of preschool children are in larger groups. The party says the change would cost about SEK 3.1 billion a year, the estimate in SOU 2026:37.

S says it would finance much of the reform by ending what it calls overcompensation to privately run preschools. It has not published a detailed budget allocation or implementation date.

The proposal is an election pledge, not a government bill or current law. The inquiry also proposes staffing ratios and limited exceptions, but the party's announcement commits specifically to the group caps and a maximum of 12 pupils per teacher in preschool class.

After the Moderates promised to abolish preschool fees, S said it was open to lower charges if quality was protected. Voters are therefore being offered two different preschool priorities: smaller groups from S and fee abolition from M.

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