PORTUGAL HAS been ranked 17th in an international poll of 25 economically developed countries assessing the quality of child care.
In the report, published by UNICEF, Portugal met four of the 10 benchmarks required including the provision of a national plan with priority for disadvantaged children and the subsidisation of childcare for 80 per cent of four year olds.
Portugal had an equal rating to Japan, Germany and Italy and was above Spain, the US and Ireland.
Sweden was the only country to meet all 10 benchmarks.
