Subject: Justified calls for measures to ensure that no child is denied a day nursery place
This year, thousands of children are still being denied day nursery places. The self-congratulatory message being sent by the incoming New Democracy government is adding insult to injury, while ignoring the fact that 17 250 children have been denied the necessary voucher owing to the strict income criteria adopted by the Syriza government, as a result of which thousands of families did not even apply, while children of public servants were excluded from the NSRF programme from the outset.
These are just a few of the serious consequences of EU policy and NSRF programmes, which the new Commission President has described as the ‘European Child Guarantee’.
Because of the inadequacy of municipal day-nursery networks resulting from chronic underfunding and understaffing, working-class families are being forced to delve deep into their pockets to meet the basic needs of their children.
In view of this, can the Commission say:
1. Does the Commission acknowledge that such families are justified in calling for measures to ensure that no child is denied a day nursery place?
2. What view does it take of the fact that EU and NSRF approaches being decided and implemented by central, regional and municipal government, are seen as effectively denying thousands of children a day nursery place, while placing a heavy additional burden on parents seeking to provide their children with even a basic minimum level of education falling far short of their actual needs?
Answer given by Mrs Thyssen on behalf of the European Commission
(23 October 2019)
In line with the EU Treaties, social protection and education systems, including early childhood education and care, are primarily a national competence.
The European Pillar of Social Rights (1)promotes universal access to affordable and quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) in view of boosting children’s development and helping parents reconcile work and family life. More recently, in May 2019, the Council adopted a recommendation on High Quality Early Childhood Education and Care Systems (2) to support Member States to improve access to and quality of such systems.
Key measures in this regard are enhancing access to inclusive, affordable and high quality social services, as well as developing day- care centres. Supporting the most deprived and promoting the social integration of children at risk of poverty while paying attention to geographic disparities are also important concerns for social inclusion.
For many years, the European Social Fund has been co-financing in Greece vouchers that cover the full cost of care in facilities for children from low-income families up to the obligatory pre-school age. In this regard, EUR 450 million are earmarked in the period 2014-2020 for the measure ‘Reconciliation of professional and family life’ through the 13 Regional Operational Programmes (OP) and the National Human Resources Development, Education and Lifelong Learning OP. In addition, EUR 52 million are earmarked by the European Regional Development Fund in the same period for ECEC pre-school infrastructures.
The Commission will continue to support Member States and monitor the situation, among others in the framework of the European Semester.
⋅1∙ https://ec.europa.eu/commission/priorities/deeper-and-fairer-economic-and-monetary-union/european-pillar-social-rights_en
⋅2∙ 2019/C 189/02.