Short Description/Objective

The main goal of the Scheme, which is being implemented since September 2022,  is the provision of quality care and educational services for all children as their basic right.

More specifically, the Scheme aims at strengthening families with small children, through the provision of care services for dependent children up to 4 years-old, through direct payment to the nurseries, as a part of the monthly charge for their children’s schooling.

Applications both  from participating providers and eligible parents will only be submitted through an online platform that is developed in collaboration with the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy.

Expected Benefits/Outcomes

The implementation of the Scheme has multiple benefits, as follows:

• Increasing the percentage of children that study at registered daily care facilities, achieving and exceedingly completely the objectives of Barcelona for 33% of children up to 3 years old
• Enhancing Social Fairness in terms of access to childcare services for all children in the target group
• Reducing the risk of poverty and social exclusion and especially the child poverty
• Increasing the provision of accessible, affordable, flexible and quality childcare services for children aged up to 4 years old
• Supporting the wider demographic policy of the government
• Breaking the inter-generational cycle of poverty and social exclusion through early and significant investments in children
• Reconciliation of family and working life
• Integrating the unemployed people in the labour market who are burdened with the care of dependent family members (children), especially women
• Increasing the participation rate of the inactive labour force in the labour market
• Retention of the labour force in the labour market
• Generating and/or increasing income due to integration into the labour market
• Tackling undeclared work in the childcare sector, which in many cases falls short in terms of quality
• Ensuring satisfactory levels of care and education for all children.