Child care in Belgian french speaking community
Article by Belgian Parti Socialiste – translated from the French
During recent decades, social, economic and cultural changes such as the development of women’s work, the diversification of family forms, the progress of equality between men and women bring to the foreground a major new challenge: how to reconcile the well-being of children with an emancipating professional life for parents.
Nowadays, most children grow up within different circles. It seems indispensable to establish some coherence and continuity in the care of children and especially between child care workers and children: relatives, parents, family, staff of day-nurseries, instructors, staff of nursery schools, school guards, etc.
To improve the care of the children means:
• The socialization and the well-being of the children
• The development of learning techniques from the youngest age
• The professional and personal development of the parents
• The employability, availability, presence and efficiency in work of parents
• Rest or spare time for parents
• The growth of the birth rate (demographic challenge)
• Greater equality between the children and between men and women
1) State of the art in french speaking Belgian community
In 2005, 31.215 full time child care places were available in the French Community. In the French Community, the number of available places in collective subsidized areas (kindergartens, pre-school facilities, etc.) = 23,3 % of the children of less than 3 years, that is less than one child in four. But, big regional disparities go from 37.2% of the children in Brabant wallon, to 22.9% in Brussels, to 21.5% in Liège, to 30% in the Province du Luxembourg and 23.1% in Namur.
In 2004, some 369 549 children frequented an after-school facilities (mainly school day-care centers and kindergartens), which means nearly one child on five in French speaking community.
The objective agreed for member states during the EU’s Barcelona Summit is to offer 0-3 year old children by 2010 child care places corresponding to 33 % of the children of less than 3 years old. This means the creation of 10.000 further child care places in the French speaking community. The European ambitions are also very high regarding after-school facilities. Unfortunately there are no serious figures available on the subject up until now.
2) Balance sheet of measures taken in favor of child care
On the federal level:
a) Possibility of tax deductions for day-care costs, already existing for the children aged 0-3 years, now including children aged 3-12 years.
b) Extension of maternity leave for newborn children that need to be hospitalized as well as in case of multiple births: the extension of the postnatal maternity leave will correspond to the duration of the hospitalization of the child up to 24 weeks and possible extension of the antenatal and postnatal leave corresponding to a period of 2 weeks in case of multiple births.
c) Extension of adoption leave, up to 6 weeks for the adoption of a child of less than three years and to 4 weeks if the child is more than 3 years old
d) Improvement of parental leave: increase of the allowance (100€ for full time leave; extension of the period of work interruption (up to one month for a full-time leave), increasing the age limit of the children (from 4 to 6 years).
On community and regional level:
e) Creation of 8000 child care places for children aged 0-3 years between 2005 and 2009 through the launch of the “Plan Cygogne II” in the French speaking community. In 2005, 1500 places were created, whereas for 2006 and 2007, 1890 places were planned and will be available in subsidized childcare facilities (day-nursery, kindergarten, MCAE).
f) Massive contribution to subsidized jobs by the regions: 950 jobs in Walloon region and 100 specific ACS-"childhood" jobs and 233 ACS-"general" jobs in Brussels region.
g) Regional budgets for subsidized infrastructures: €25 million through alternate financing and classical budget to be invested in a three-year plan for the municipal infrastructures in Walloon region, in COCOF infrastructures and another few millions to be invested in infrastructures via the FSE, the FEDER and some district contracts.
3) Proposals for future actions
h) Increase the number of child care places through “Maribel social” job creation and through the greater commitment of the municipalities and the higher awareness of employers (public employers at first).
i) Implement the reform of the FESC (collective services and equipment) to increase the budget for child care facilities at a later stage.
j) Finalize the employment status of child care workers
k) Provide professionalised child care facilities for sick children.
