PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION ON CHILD CARE
Date: 1991-08-28
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: child care, ergonomics, family policy, gender equality, vocational training

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN  COMMUNITIES 

C0M(91) 233 final 

Brussels, 28 August 1991 

sW 

WM^' 

Proposal  for a 

COUNCIL  RECOMMENDATION 

on chiId care 

(presented by the Commission) 

Jii^lSSfeK 

- 2 -

EXPLANATORY  MEMORANDUM 

A. 

BACKGROUND 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

In 1989, eleven  Member  States of  the  European  Community  adopted  the 
Community  Charter  of  basic  social  rights  of  workers  with  certain 
undertakings  regarding  the development of equal  opportunities for men 
and  women  (Paragraph  16) and  the  reconciliation  of  occupational  and 
famiIy obiigat ions. 

In  its  action  programme  implementing  the  Community  Charter,  the 
Commission  has  included  among  its  aims  the  adoption  of  a 
Recommendation concerning  child care. 

Studies have shown  inadequacies and gaps  in all  the Member  States and 
that  measures  are  required  to  reconcile  family  responsibilities 
arising  from the care and upbringing of children with  the employment, 
education  and  training  of  parents  and  other  adults  with  family 
responsibilities  for  children;  and  the  adverse  effects  of  this 
situation  on  the attainment  of  equal  opportunities  for men  and  women 
in  employment,  training  and  education  and  the  well-being  of  their 
families<1M2)(3). 

The Commission Action Programme  implementing  the Community Charter of 
basic  social  rights  for  workers  notes  that,  as  early  as  1982,  the 
First  Action  Programme  on  Equality  highlighted  the  link  between 
employment  and  childcare.  The  Second  Community  Action  Programme  on 
the  Promotion  of  Equal  Opportunities  for  Women  (1985-1990)  noted 
that:  MA  sine  qua  non  for  the promotion of  true equality  at work  is 
the sharing of  family and occupational  responsibilities, particularly 
the development  of  adequate  child-minding  facilities and  a review of 
social  infrastructures  in general". 

The  Third  Medium-Term  Community  Action  Programme  on  Equal 
Opportunities  for  Women  and  Men  (1991-1995),  in  the  context  of 
improving  the working  conditions  and  the reconciliation between  work 
and  family  responsibilities  for  men  and  women,  envisages  the 
Commission  undertaking  measures  concerning  the  development  of  child 
care facilities and  leave for  family reasons. 

"Childcare  and  Equality  of  Opportunity".  Consolidated  Report  to  the 
European  Commission,  Peter  Moss,  Co-ordinator,  Childcare  Network, 
based  on  national  reports  of  Network  representatives  in  the  Twelve 
Member  States, April 1988. 
"Infrastructure  and  Women's  Employment  :  Centre  for  Research  on 
European  Women  (CREW)  and  James  McLoone  and  Maire  0'Leary, 
University 
1989. 
"Who  Cares  for  Europe's  Children  ?".  by  A.  PHI I lips  and  P.  MOSS, 
Brussels, European Commission, 1989. 

V/174/90-EN, 

College, 

Galway, 

October 

-  3 -

6. 

7. 

The  communication  from  the  Commission  on  Family  Policies of  8  August 
1989(4)  mentions  the  need  to  continue  actions  to  reconcile 
professional  and  family  life  and  to  encourage  the  sharing  of  family 
responsibilities 
the 
intensification  of  current  work  relating  to  the  "Childcare  Network". 
It  also  draws  attention  in  this  context  to  the  need  for  job 
flexibility,  the  development  of  atypical  working  timetables  and  Job 
status,  and  the  provision  of  adequate  basic  infrastructures  (working 
hours of  public  and  private  services,  transport). 

particular 

importance 

attaches 

and 

to 

In  the  present  economic  context,  there  is  a  clear  need  for  closer 
approximation  in  levels  of  support  for  employed  parents,  including 
services  providing  care  for  children,  in  order  to  eliminate 
imbalances  in  the  labour  market  and  facilitate  mobility  between 
Member  States.  The  Single  Market  will  produce  new  Jobs  and  women 
will  be  able  to  take  advantage  of  these,  if  support  measures, 
including  services  providing  care  for  children  are  available  and 
affordable.  These  support  services  are  also  essential,  if women  are 
to  undertake  training  and  retraining  which  is crucial  during  periods 
of  labour  market  restructuring.  Finally,  these  support  services  are 
equally  essential,  if  the  Community  is  to  make  the  optimum  use  of 
women's  skills,  talents  and  abilities.  It  is  thus  economically  and 
socially  desirable  to  improve  the  quantity  and  quality  of  services 
providing  care  for  children  and  other  measures  intended  to  reconcile 
responsibilities  arising  from  the  care  and  upbringing  of  children 
with  the employment,  education  and  training  of  parents. 

B. 

SITUATION  IN THE MEMBER  STATES 

1. 

2. 

3. 

The  Employment  Position  of Women  and Men with  Children 

Annex  1  provides  an  overview  of  some  aspects  of  the  employment 
position  of  women  and  men  with  children.  This  Annex  shows  the 
continuing  differential 
impact  of  children  and  their  care  on 
participation  by  men  and  women  in  the  labour  market;  44%  of  women 
with  children  aged  0-9  were  employed  in  1988,  less  than  half  the 
level  for  men  with  children  (92%)  and  substantially  lower  than  the 
employment  rate  for  childless women  of  childbearing  age  (71%).  Women 
with  children  were  more  likely  to  be  employed  part-time,  compared  to 
men with  children  or  childless women. 

There  is  little  data  on  the  qualitative  aspects  of  parents' 
employment  (for  example,  type  of  occupation,  pay  and  conditions, 
prospects,  etc.),  which  would  permit  an  assessment  of  the  impact  of 
children  and  their  care  on  these  aspects  of  the  employment  position 
of men  and  women. 

Gaps  in Service  Provision 

Annex  2  shows  the  number  of  places  in  pub 11cIy-funded  serv i ces  for 
children  up  to  the  age  of  10,  as  a  percentage  of  the  child 
population;  it  excludes  children  attending  primary  school, which  is 
compulsory  in  all  the  Member  States,  but  shows  the  hours  that 
children  attend  primary  schools,  and  therefore  the 
contribution 
that  these  schools  make  to  children's  care.  Although  information  on 
the  private  sector  is  more  sketchy,  there  are  indications  of 
substantial  unmet  need  for  services  throughout  the Community,  even  in 
the country  with  the  highest  level  of  provision. 

(4) 

COM  (89) 363  final. 

- 4 -

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

!n  addition  to  levels  of  provision  varying  substantially  between 
Member  States,  differences  also  exist  within  individual  Member 
States,  so  that  there  are  disparities  between  regions  regarding 
access  to services.  In general, cities  tend  to be better  served  than 
rural  areas  regarding  public  provision. 

Ages of  Children  covered  by existing  services 

There  is  a  high  level  of  unmet  need  for  children  under  three,  with 
places  for  5%  or  less  of  children  under  three  in  services  in  eight 
Member  States.  Places  in  publicly-funded  pro-primary  schooling  or 
kindergartens  for  children  over  the  age  of  three,  but  below 
compulsory  school  age,  are  more  common.  Four  countries  provide  such 
provision  for  over  80%  of  children-,  six  for  50%-80%;  and  two  for 
under  50%.  In many  countries,  however,  the  hours of  opening  of  these 
services,  like  primary  schools  are  such  that  they  need  to  be 
supplemented  by  services  providing  "outside  school  hours"  care. 
There  is,  however,  also  a  high  level  of  unmet  need  for  services 
providing  this  type of  care with  very  low  levels of  provision  in many 
countries*5^  (see Annex  1,  last  column). 

Public  funding  may  be  supplemented  by  other  sources  of  funding,  for 
example  from  parents  and  employers.  At  present  the  extent  of  public 
funding  varies  widely,  not  only  between  Member  States,  but  also  for 
different  age groups of  children within Member  States.  Except  in one 
Member  State,  most  parents  with  children  under  3  must  rely  on 
privately  funded  services;  parents  with  children  under  3  using 
publicly  funded  services,  and  parents  with  older  children  at 
kindergarten,  have  to  pay  according  to  income,  although  levels  of 
payment  vary  between  Member  States;  parents  with  children  in  pre-
primary  or  primary  school  make  no  payment  although  they  may  have  to 
pay  for  "outside  school  hours"  care.  In  five  countries,  there  is 
some  degree  of  tax  relief  to  parents  for  costs  incurred  in  using 
services,  but  this  subsidy  is  much  less  than  that  given  to  parents 
using  publicly-funded  services  and  is  not  income-related  so  as  to 
give more  assistance  to  lower  income  families. 

Moreover,  research  suggests  that  a  barrier  to  increased  labour  force 
participation  rates,  and  more  particularly  employment  rates,  among 
women  is  the  presence  or  absence  of  suitable  childcare  arrangements 
Care 
for  children  from  0  to  10  and  not  merely  creches  for  babies. 
for  children of  school  age  fails  to be provided  for more  than  a  third 
of  children  in any  country  and  is virtually  non-existent  or  very  low 
in  nine  Member  States.  While  variations  can  partly  be  explained  by 
different  levels of  need  and  national  income,  this  is only  a  partial 
explanation  for  the unequal  access  to services  that  exists. 

(5) 

"Childcare  in  the  European  Communities.  1985-1990".  Published  in 
"Women  in  Europe",  August,  1990. Peter  Moss, Co-ordinator,  Childcare 
Network. 

-  5 -

8. 

9. 

Major  gaps  in  information make  it  impossible  to provide  comprehensive 
and  comparative  data  on  the  position  in  Member  States,  not  only  as 
regards  services  providing  care  for  children,  but  also  leave 
arrangements  for  employed  parents  with  responsibility  for  the  care 
and  upbringing  of  children,  the  environment,  structure  and 
organisation 
family 
responsibilities  which  are  component  parts  of  a  broad  approach  to 
child  care  (see section C  below). 

the  workplace 

sharing 

the 

and 

of 

of 

Information  on  privately  funded  childcare  services  is  generally 
inadequate,  if  available  at  all.  Many  women,  however,  seek  private 
solutions.  Surveys  show  that  relatives  provide  childcare  for  most 
children  under  3  in  all  Member  States  but  one  and  private  or 
workplace  nurseries provide  less than 2% of  care  for  the  under-threes 
in a 11 countries. 

Leave  Arrangements  for  employed  parents  with  responsibility  for  the  care 
and upbringing of  children 

10. 

Annex  3  provides  an  overview  of  Parental  Leave.  Main  points  about 
this provision  are  that  parental  leave  is offered  in 8 countries, one 
offers  a  more  general  leave  which  can  be  used  for  child  care 
purposes;  there  is no provision  in three countries.  Periods of  leave 
vary  from  10  weeks  to  nearly  3  years.  Except  for  Denmark,  parents 
taking  leave  receive  either  no  payment  or  else  a payment  that  is  low 
in relation  to normal  earnings;  leave  is also  inflexible  in  terms of 
the  degree  of  choice  available  to parents  in how  they  may  take  leave 
(for  example,  parents may  not  choose  between  taking  leave on  a  full-
time or  part-time  basis, or  between  taking  it  in one  bloc  of  time or 
several).  Leave  is taken overwhelmingly  by mothers. 

11. 

In  addition  to  this  form  of  leave,  six  countries  provide  some 
statutory  leave  to  care  for  sick  children,  but  this  is only  paid  in 
three cases.  Only  Denmark  provides  statutory  Paternity  Leave. 

Environment, structure  and organisation of  the workplace 

12. 

As  regards  initiatives  to  reconcile  working  and  family  life  in  the 
context  of  the  environment,  structure  and  organization  of  the 
workplace,  national  studies  in  a  few  Member  States  suggest  that 
developments  have,  so  far,  been  limited  and  uneven  in  application 
<6)  (7) (8). 

Sharing of  Family  Responsibilities 

13. 

A  major  change  that  has  taken  place  in  employment  in  the  past 
20 years  is  the  growing  proportion  of  women  (especially  married 

(6) 
(7) 

(8) 

"The  Industrial  Relations Review and  Report". UK, May-June,  1989. 
"Retaining  Women  Employees".  Hilary  Metcalf,  Institute  of  Manpower 
Studies Report, UK, 1990. 
"Maternity  Rights:  the  Experience of  Women  and  Employers".  S.  McRae, 
W.W. Daniel, Policy  Studies  Institute, UK, 1991. 

-  6  -

women)  in the  labour  force.  However, women's  increased  participation 
in  the  world  of  work  has  not  been  accompanied  by  the  measures 
necessary  to achieve  a matching  reduction  in women's  share  of  family 
responsibilities,  and  to  facilitate  the  reconciliation  of  employment 
and  family  responsibilities  for  both  men  and  women. 
Many  women  are 
still  forced  into  making  undesirable  choices  between  a  career  at 
work,  carrying  the double  burden  of  also being  mainly  responsible  for 
the  family  or  a  career  at  home,  and  in  the  main  expected  to  make 
arrangements  for  caring  for  children  and  relatives  and  giving  up 
their  leisure  time  and  even  part  or  all  of  their  work,  if  the  need 
arises. 

C. 

THE BROAD  APPROACH  TO CHILD  CARE 

1. 

2. 

An  essential  component  of  child  care  services  is  the  need  for 
quality.  Quality  in child  care  must  mean  that  which  is conducive  to 
the  welfare  and  development  of  the  child.  It  is  important  to  break 
down  the  false  distinction  between  care  and  education,  so  that  there 
is  no  stigmatisation  of  "care",  in  so  much  as  it  is  seen  as  a 
"parking  service"  for  parents  at  work.  Services  should  be  flexible, 
local,  and  multi-functional. 
Good  quality  child  care  is  an 
inseparable  issue  from  that  of  the  people  who  work  to  provide  those 
services.  Moreover,  services  of  poor  quality  will  constrain  women's 
employment,  deterring  some  from  entering  the  labour  market  and 
providing  an additional  source of  stress  for  women  already  employed. 

Reconciling  family  responsibilities  arising  from  the  care  and 
upbringing  of  children  with  employment,  education  and  training 
requires  measures  in  four  areas  : high  quality  services  to  provide 
care  for  children  while  parents  with  family  responsibilities  for 
children  are  employed  or  receiving  education  or  training;  leave 
arrangements  for  parents  with  responsibility  for  the  care  and 
upbringing  of  children;  changes  in  the  culture  and  structure  of 
individual  workplaces,  to make  workplaces  supportive  of  the  needs  of 
workers  with  responsibilities  for  the  care  and  upbringing  of 
children;  the  more  equal  sharing  of  family  responsibilities  arising 
from  the  care  and  upbringing  of  children,  particularly  between  men 
and  women.  Each  area 
not  sufficient.  A 
comprehensive  and  coherent  programme,  covering  all  these  areas,  is 
needed. 

is  necessary,  but 

D. 

SERVICES  TO PROVIDE  CARE  FOR  CHILDREN 

1. 

There  is  a  range  of  services  which  may  be  provided  in  institutions 
such  as  nurseries,  kindergartens,  pre-primary  or  primary  schools, 
centres  providing  out-of-school  care; or  by  childminders  in organised 
childcaring  schemes. 

2. 

The main  points  about  such  child  care  services  are: 

(i) There  are  major  and  unjustifiable  inconsistencies,  or  lack  of 
coherence,  between  services  in  a  number  of  important  areas, 
including 
accessibility;  funding  and  costs  to  parents; 
availability  of  places;  hours  of  opening*,  orientation  and 
purpose;  administrative  responsibility;  training,  pay  and 
conditions of  workers. 

-  7  -

(ii) Services  need  to  work  closely  with  local  communities  and  with 
parents.  This  includes  : responsiveness  to  local  and  parental 
needs  and  circumstances;  regular  contact  and  exchanges  of 
information;  and  creating  opportunities  for  parents  and  local 
communities  to  influence  the  objectives  and  management  of 
services. 

(ill) Although  Annex  2  covers  only  services  for  children  until  the 
age  of  10,  it  should  be  recalled  that  family  responsibilities 
arising  from  the care of  children are wide-ranging  and  continue 
to  exist  at  least  until  children  leave  school,  although  the 
nature  of  these  responsibilities  change,  as  children  get  older 
and  become  less  dependent. 

(iv) Nearly  all  workers  in  the  relevant  services,  whether  publicly 
or  privately  funded,  are women.  The conditions and  training  of 
workers  in  child  care  services  should  be  improved  to  reflect 
the  importance  of  their  work. 

(v) While  some  parents  use  private  arrangements  from  choice,  many 
others  do  so  for  lack  of  publicly-funded  services.  Increased 
services  at  an  affordable  cost  are  therefore  necessary  to 
ensure  that  there  is  a  closing  of  the  gap  between  demand  and 
the  existing  level  of  services.  Given  that  the  need  for  child 
care  is  not  a  matter  concerning  parents  alone,  but  is  of 
economic  and  social  consequence,  public  funding  should  also 
make  an  important  contribution  to provision. 

(vi) Where  public  funding  is  supplemented  by  other  sources  of 
funding,  for  example  from  parents  and  employers,  this should  be 
part  of  a  coherent  and  comprehensive  policy  on  the  funding  of 
services.  Where  services  are  provided 
in  workplaces  or 
otherwise  supported  by  individual  employers,  this  should  be 
regarded  as  a  supplement  to  locally  based,  integrated  services 
and  not  as  an  alternative  and  should  be  provided  within  the 
framework  of  a fully  developed  equal  opportunities policy. 

E. 

LEAVE  ARRANGEMENTS  FOR  EMPLOYED  PARENTS  WITH  RESPONSIBILITY  FOR  THE 
CARE AND  UPBRINGING OF  CHILDREN 

Working  parents  may  not  always  be  able  or  willing  to  leave  the  care 
of  their  children  to  professional  or  other  chiIdminders.  An 
intrinsic  feature  of  child  care  is  therefore  the  need  for  various 
forms  of  leave  from  work  to  enable  parents  to  be  absent  from 
employment  at  key  times  and  return  without  loss of  Job,  seniority  or 
interruption  of  their  contractual  relationship*9). 

(9) 

"The  impact  of  the Completion  of  the  Internal  Market  on  Women  in  the 
European  Community". 

- 8 -

F. 

THE  ENVIRONMENT.  STRUCTURE  AND ORGANISATION  OF  THE  WORKPLACE 

1. 

2. 

The  working  environment,  workplace  practice  and  attitudes  are  also  a 
crucial  element  in  a  broad  approach  to  childcare.  Arrangements  in 
these areas may  additionally  permit  continuity of  working  careers  and 
contribute  towards  reducing  the costs of  staff  turnover. 

There  is therefore  a need  to  increase understanding  amongst  employers 
and  trade  unions  of  the  importance  of  improving  the  environment, 
structure  and  organisation  of  individual  workplaces  and  of  the  means 
to  do  this.  Measures  are  needed  to  review  the  situation  in 
workplaces,  to  introduce  appropriate  initiatives and  to monitor  their 
effectiveness,  to  stimulate,  evaluate  and  disseminate  innovative 
measures  of  good  employment  practice.  Examples  of  such  practice 
include  the hours at which meetings are  held  to avoid  incompatibility 
with  the  need  to  collect  children  rom  creches;  the  importance  of 
giving  adequate  notice  of  the  need  to  travel;  the  need  for  flexible 
working  hours, etc. 

G. 

SHARING OF  FAMILY  RESPONSIBILITIES 

Women  carry  too great  a share  of  responsibilities  and  that  is one  of 
the  fundamental  causes  of  women's  unequal  position  on  the  labour 
market  and  consequent  inequalities  in  employment  and  income.  Wage 
rates  and  occupation  position  -  central  criteria  for  assessing 
quality  -  are  not  determined  purely  by  market  forces,  but  by  the 
social  costs  of  reproduction  which  are  unequally  distributed.  A 
greater  involvement  of  men  in family  responsibilities  seems  crucial, 
if  women  are  to  enter  the  labour  market  on  an  equal  footing  and  to 
improve  the  quality  of  their  working  and  personal  lives.  As  well  as 
taking  a fair  share of  family  responsibilities, men  should  equally  be 
able  to  benefit  from  the  full  range  of  measures  to  reconcile  family 
and  professional  life  without  Jeopardising  their  own  chances  of 
career  development  or  running  the  risk of  hostile  attitudes.  Changes 
in male  attitudes  are  needed  both  in  the  home  and  workplace  to  make 
the working  environment  more  sympathetic  and  responsive  to  the  needs 
of  chiIdren. 

H. 

THE  NEED FOR  INFORMATION 

There  is a  need  to make  appropriate  arrangements  to  gather  regularly 
information  on  :  the  supply  and  distribution  of  care  and  education 
services  for  children;  the  take-up  and  use  of  services  by  families 
and  the  costs  for  families;  the  take-up  and  use  of  leave-,  the 
provision  of  employment  benefits  resulting  from  collective  or 
workplace  agreements  intended  to  provide  support  to  workers  with 
family  responsibilities, and  the use of  these benefits; and  the  level 
of  participation  by  men  In  the  care  of  children.  In  gathering 
information  and  reviewing  progress  in  achieving  policy  objectives, 
particular  attention  should  be paid  to the position  of  certain  groups 
of  families,  including  :  lone  parents;  low  income  families;  rural 
families; and  families with  special  and/or  other  special  needs. 

- 9 -

J. 

OVERALL CONCLUSIONS 

1. 

2. 

3. 

In the Commission's  view,  it emerges  from  the analysis of  the  issues 
examined  above  that  the  Member  States  should  undertake  measures  to 
enable women  and men  to reconcile  employment, education  and  training 
with  responsibilities  arising  from  the  care  and  upbringing  of 
children.  The Commission  therefore  recommends  that  the Member  States 
should undertake a number of specific  initiatives,  in order  to ensure 
that  all  parents  with  such  responsibilities  have  access  to  locally-
based and good quality services. 

Given  that  there  are  major  gaps  of  information,  particularly 
concerning  the  supply  of  privately  funded  services,  the  care 
arrangements  made  for  children  while  parents  are  employed  and  the 
quality  of  services,  it will  be  necessary  to  take  steps  to  rectify 
these  inadequacies. 
This process should aim  to  increase  the  level 
of  knowledge  about  the  provision  of  care  for  children  to  that  which 
already exists on  the educational  system  in general. 

The Commission undertakes  : (a) to promote,  in collaboration with  the 
Member  States  and  the  Social  Partners, the  exchange,  assessment  and 
dissemination of  information and experience  in this field-, and  (b) to 
support  projects which  are  innovative  and of  transnational  relevance 
and disseminate  the results. 

Annexes:  3 

%  employed  -
women  with  child 
under  10 

% employed  -  men 
with  child  under 
10 

Parental  Employment,  1988 

%  employed  -
women  aged  20-
39,  without 
children 

Change  in  % 
employed,  1985-88 
• women  with  child 
under  10 

%  unemployed  -
women  with  child 
under  10 

%  unemployed  -
men  with  child 
under  10 

Germany 

France 

Italy 

Netherlands 

Belgium 

Luxembourg 

38%  (21%) 

56%  (16%) 

42%  (5%) 

32%  (27%) 

54%  (16%) 

38%  (10%) 

j United  Kingdom 

46%  (32%) 

[  Ireland 

|  Denmark 

1  tiroecc 

Portugal 

Sp.tin 

Kuropoan 
Community 

23%  (7%) 

79%  (32%) 

4 1%  (5%) 

62%  (4%) 

28%  (4%) 

44%  (17%) 

94%  (1%) 

93%  (1%) 

95%  (2%) 

91%  (9%) 

92%  (1%) 

98%  (-) 

88%  (1%) 

79%  (1%) 

95%  (2%) 

95%  (1%) 

95%  (1%) 

89%  (1%) 

92%  (2%) 

Kt/y.  Figures  in  brackets  =  %  employed  part-time 

75%  (15%) 

75%  (11%) 

55%  (4%) 

68%  (30%) 

68%  (13%) 

69%  (5%) 

83%  (20%) 

67%  (6%) 

79%  (6%) 

52%  (3%) 

69%  (6%) 

44%  (5%) 

+2.6%  (+2.5%) 

6% 

+ 1.3%  (+1.9%) 

10% 

+3.6%  (+0.7%) 

+8.2%  (+7.7%) 

8% 

8% 

+2.8%  (+2.4%) 

12% 

+3.7%  (0.6%) 

+7.5%  (+6%) 

+5.1%  (+1.5%) 

+2.6%  (-1.5%) 

+3.8%  (-0.2%) 

No  Information 

No  Information 

2% 

8% 

8% 

8% 

6% 

6% 

10% 

8% 

71%  (13%) 

No  Information 

o 
I 

3% 

5% 

3% 

5% 

5% 

1% 

8% 

17% 

3% 

3% 

2% 

8% 

5% 

I  > 
I  z 
I  z 
i  m 
i  x 
i 

Places  in  publicly  funded  childcare  services  as  % of  all  children  in  the  age  group 

Date  to  which  data 
refer 

For  children  under 
3 

For  children  from  3 
to  compulsory 
school  age 

Age  when 
compulsory 
schooling  begins 

Length  of  school 
day  (including 
midday  break) 

6-7  years 

4-5  hours  (a) 

Germany 

France 

Italy 

Netherlands 

Belgium 

Luxembourg 

United  Kingdom 

Ireland 

Denmark 

Greece 

Portugal 

Spain 

1987 

1988 

1986 

1989 

1988 

1989 

1988 

1988 

1989, 

1988 

1988 

1988 

3% 

20% 

5% 

2% 

20% 

2% 

2% 

2% 

48% 

4% 

6% 

? 

65-70% 

95%+ 

85% + 

50-55% 

95%+ 

55-60% 

35-40% 

55% 

85% 

65-70% 

35% 

65-70% 

6  years 

6  years 

5  years 

6  years 

5  years 

5  years 

6  years 

7  years 

• 

5Vi years 

j  6  years 

6  years 

Outside  school 
hours  care  for 
primary  school 
children 

4% 

? 

? 

1% 

? 

1% 

(-) 

(-) 

8  hours 

4  hours 

6-7  hours 

7  hours 

4-8  hours  (a) 

6V6 hours 

4'/i-6,/i  hours  (b) 

3-5V* hours  (a,b) 

29% 

4-5  hours  (b) 

6Vi  hours 

8  hours 

(-) 

6% 

(-) 

NB. This  Table  should  be  read  in  conjunction  with  the  national  reports,  which  contain  important  qualifications  and  explanations.  The  Table  shows  the 
number  of  places  in  publicly  funded  services  as  a  %  of  the  child  population;  the  % of  children  attending  may  be  higher  because  some  places  are  used  on 
a  part-time  basis.  Provision  at  playgroups  in  the  Netherlands  has  not  been  included,  although  10% of  children  under  3  and  25% of  children  aged  3-4 
attend  and  most  playgroups  receive  public  funds.  Average  hours  of  attendance  - 5-6  hours  per  week  - are  so  much  shoner  than  for  other  services,  that  it 
would  be  difficult  and  potentially  misleading  to  include  them  on  the  same  basis  as  other  services;  however  playgroups  should  not  be  forgotten  when 
considering  publicly  funded  provision  in  the  Netherlands. 

Key: ?»  no  information;  (-)  -  less than 0.5%;  (a)  -  school  hours vary from day to day;  (b)  «  school  hours  increase  as children  get  older. 

II  > 
II 
z 
II 
z 
il  m 
it  x 
il 

\ 

j 

& 

Annex 3 

Parental  Leave 

* 

Cicmiany 

18 months.  Low  flat-rate  payment  for  6 
months;  payment  then  depends  on  family 
income,  so  higher  income  family  gets  less 

France 

I  Until  child  is  3. No payment  unless  3  or 

more  children;  then  low,  flat-rate  payment 

Italy 

6  months.  30% of  earnings 

Belgium 

Netherlands 

None,  but  workers  can  take  leave  for  family 
or  personal  reasons  (sec  national  report) 
None,  but  Government  proposal  for  part-
time  leave  has  been  made 

Luxembourg 

None 

United 
Kingdom 

None 

Ireland 

None 

« 

Denmark 

10 weeks.  90% of  earnings  (up  to  a 

maximum  level) 

Greece 

3  months  per  parent.  Unpaid 

Portugal 

24  months.  Unpaid 

Spain 

12 months.  Unpaid 

Parental  leave means entitlement  to  leave of  a given 
duration  to wage-earners/  fathers, mothers,  including 
staff  working  in the public  sector, consequential 
upon  the birth of a child, during  the period  following 
the termination  of maternity  leave, or  to workers as 
defined  above, or  the  adoption of a child during  the 
period  following  its  reception  in the adoptive  parents' 
household, during which  period of  leave  the  beneficiary 
takes  responsibility  for the actual  care of  the  child. 

i 

-  13 -

Proposal  for a 
COUNCIL  RECOMMENDATION 

on chlId care 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN  COMMUNITIES, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the  European  Economic  Community, 
and  in particular  Article 235 thereof; 

Having  regard  to the proposal  submitted by the Commission(1) 

Having  regard  to the opinion of  the European Parliament of... 

Having  regard  to the opinion of  the Economic Social  Committee of... 

Whereas  point  16 of  the Community  Charter  of  the Fundamental  Social  Rights 
of  Workers  calls  for  measures  to be  developed  to  enable  men  and  women  to 
reconcile their occupational  and  family obligations; 

Whereas  the  Commission  in  its  action  programme  implementing  the  Community 
Charter  has  included  among  its  aims  the  adoption  of  a  recommendation 
concerning  child care; 

Whereas  the Community  Charter  notes that  child-care methods, parental  leave 
and  maternity  leave  form  part  of  a whole  which  enables  people  to  combine 
their  family  responsibilities  and  occupational  ambitions,  and  a  Community 
response alone will  not  suffice,  if this objective  is to be  attained; 

Whereas  in  its  Third  Medium-Term  Action  Programme  on  Equal  Opportunities 
for  Women  and  Men  (1991-1995),  the  Commission  identified  the  need  for 
further  action  in this area; 

Whereas  the  Communication  from  the  Commission  on  Family  Policies^2*  draws 
attention  to  the  need  to  continue  actions  to  reconcile  professional  and 
family  life  and  encourage  the  sharing  of  family  responsibilities,  and 
emphasises  the  importance of  intensifying work  relating  to child  care; 

Whereas  the reconciliation of professional  and  family  life has to be viewed 
in a wide  perspective  and  it  is  important  for  the  Community  to  promote  a 
global  policy aiming  to achieve  this reconciliation; 

Whereas  it  is essential  to promote  the well-being of children and  families, 
ensuring  that  the  needs  of  all  children  and  families  are  met  and  taking 
into account  that  responsibilities arising  from  the care  and  upbringing of 
children  continue up  to and  throughout  the period of  children's  schooling, 
and  to recognise  the diversity  that  exists  in the employment  and  household 
circumstances of parents; 

(1) 
(2)  C0M(89) 363 final, 8.8.1989. 

-  14 

Whereas  inadequate  provision  of  good  quality,  affordable  services  providing 
care  for  children  and  other  measures  to  reconcile  responsibility  for  the 
care  and  upbringing  of  children  with  the employment,  education  and  training 
of  parents  constitutes  a  major  barrier  to  women's  access  to  and  full 
participation  in  employment,  education  and  training,  on  equal  terms  with 
men, as well  as  full  participation  in all  areas of  society; 

improvements 

Whereas 
in  services  and  other  measures  to  reconcile 
responsibilities  for  the  care  and  upbringing  of  children  with  the 
employment,  education  and  training  of  parents  are  crucial  in  order  to 
enable  women  to  take  full  and  equal  advantage  of  the  favourable  effects  of 
the Single  Market; 

Whereas  furthermore,  adequate  services  providing  care  for  children  could 
facilitate  freedom  of  movement  of  workers  and  mobility  on  the  European 
labour  market; 

Whereas  child  care  is  a  broad  concept  which  involves  good  quality  service 
provision,  the  development  of  a working  environment  which  is supportive  of 
parents  with  responsibility  for  the  care  and  upbringing  of  children,  and 
the sharing  of  family  responsibilities between women  and  men; 

Whereas  lack  of  services  providing  care  for  children  and  other  measures  to 
reconcile  the  care  and  upbringing  of  children  with  the  employment, 
education  and  training  of  parents  hinders  the  effective  use  of  women's 
talents, skills and  abilities and whereas  demographic  trends  and  structural 
changes on  the  labour  market  call  for  these  to be better  used; 

Whereas  some of  the  Member  States  have  undertaken  initiatives  in  this  area 
but  the measures  involved  have often  remained  limited; 

Whereas  in  all  Member  States  the  demand  for  good  quality,  affordable  care 
for  children  considerably  exceeds  the existing  supply; 

Whereas,  moreover,  disparities  exist  in  good  quality,  affordable  services 
providing  care  for  children  and  other  measures  to  reconcile  the  care  and 
upbringing  of  children  with  the  employment,  education  and  training  of 
parents  between  Member  States and  between  regions within  Member  States; 

Whereas  the  standard  clause  included  in  the  Community  Support  Frameworks 
for  structural  policy  stipulates  that  the actions  and measures  taken  within 
such  a  framework  must  conform  with  and,  where  appropriate,  contribute  to 
the  implementation  of  Community  policy  and  legislation  relating  to 
equality  of  opportunity  between  women  and  men,  and  that  in  particular, 
consideration  must  be  given  to  training  and  infrastructure  requirements 
which  facilitate  labour  force participation  by women  with  children; 

Whereas,  furthermore,  in  the  NOW  Community  Initiative  for  the  promotion  of 
equal  opportunities  for  women  in  the  field  of  employment  and  vocational 
training,  child-care  measures  are  provided  to  assist  women  with  children 
to have  access  to  the  labour  market  and  to vocational  training  courses; 

-  15 -

Whereas  it  is  therefore  important  to  establish  Community  guidelines  for 
carrying  out  a number  of  specific comprehensive  actions,  in order  to ensure 
the  development  of  good  quality  and  affordable  services  providing  care  for 
children  and  other  measures  to  reconcile  the  care  and  upbringing  of 
children with  the employment,  education  and  training  of  parents, 

HEREBY  RECOMMENDS  AS  FOLLOWS 

Article 1 

It  is  recommended  that  Member  States  develop  measures  in order  to  enable 
women  and men  to reconcile  their  occupational  and  their  family obligations, 
arising  from  the care  and upbringing of  children. 

Article  2 

It  is  recommended  that,  to  this  end,  the  Member  States  develop  with  the 
appropriate  involvement  of  central,  regional  and  local  authorities,  the 
Social  Partners and other  relevant  organisations, measures  in the  following 
four  areas: 

(i) the  provision  of  care  for  children  while  parents  are  in  or 

seeking employment,  education or  training; 

(II)  leave arrangements  for employed  parents with  responsibility  for 

the care and upbringing  of children-, 

( I N)  the  environment,  structure  and  organisation  of  the  workplace, 

to make  it responsive  to the needs of workers with  children; 

(iv) the  sharing  of  family  responsibilities  arising  from  the  care 

and upbringing of  children between women  and  men. 

Article  3 

In relation  to the provision of  services providing  care  for  children,  it  is 
recommended  that  Member  States should  take measures  designed  to: 

(a) 

enable  all  parents  in  or  seeking  employment,  education  or 
training  to  have  access  to  locally  based  and  good  quality 
services.  This  requires  that  services are affordable,  services 
combine  safe  and  secure  care  with  a  broad  education  or 
pedagogical  approach,  the  needs  of  parents  and  children  are 
taken  into account  in determining  access  to  services,  services 
should  be  available  In all  areas  and  regions of  Member  States, 
both  urban  and  rural  areas,  services  should  ensure  access  to 
children  with  special  needs,  with  linguistic  needs  and  to 
children  in  lone  parent  families,  and  be  responsive  to  those 
needs ; 

- 16 -

(b)  encourage flexibility and  diversity of services, as part of a 
strategy to increase choice and meet the different preferences, 
needs and circumstances of children and  families. Thi^ should 
be combined with coherence between different services; 

(c)  seek  to  improve the  training  (both  initial  and  continous) of 
workers  in child-care services, with the objective of ensuring 
that  this training  is appropriate  to the great  importance and 
social and educative value of their work; 

(d)  encourage services to work closely with parents and with local 
communities  involving  regular  contact  and  exchanges  of 
information, so as to be responsive to local parental needs and 
circumstances; 

(e)  ensure that public funding makes an essential  contribution  to 
the development of affordable, good quality, coherent services 
which offer choice to parents. 

Article 4 

In relation to leave arrangements for employed parents with responsibility 
for  the  care  and  upbringing  of  children,  it  is recommended  that  Member 
States  should  continue  to develop  measures  to  take  realistic  account  of 
women's  increased  participation  in  the  labour  force.  This  requires  the 
provision of  leave to enable all employed parents, both men and women, to 
discharge effectively their dual working and family responsibilities, with, 
inter al la. flexibility in how leave may be taken. 

In  relation  to  the  environment,  structure  and  organisation  of  the 
workplace, it is recommended that Member States should: 

Article 5 

(a)  encourage  both  sides  of  industry  to  promote  action,  inter 
ai la. within  the  framework  of  collective agreements, to make 
the  environment,  structure  and  organisation  of  individual 
workplaces supportive of the needs of all working parents with 
responsibilities for the care and upbringing of children; 

(b)  undertake  initiatives to improve the employment conditions  of 
workers in services providing care for children and ensure that 
the social value of their work is recognized; 

(c)  promote  action  especially  in  the  public  sector  which  might 

serve as an example  in developing  initiatives in this area. 

-  17 -

Article 6 

In  relation  to  responsibilities  arising  from  the  care  and  upbringing  of 
children,  it  is  recommended  that  Member  States  promote  and  encourage 
increased participation by men,  in order  to achieve a more equal  sharing of 
parental  responsibilities between men and women. 

Article  7 

The  Member  States  shall  inform  the  Commission,  within  three  years  of  the 
date of  the adoption of  this Recommendation, of  the measures  taken  to give 
effect  to  it,  in order  to allow  the Commission  to draw up  a  report  on all 
such measures. 

Done at Brussels, 

For  the Council 

The  President 

ISSN 0254-1475 

COM(91) 233 final 

DOCUMENTS 

EN 

05 

Catalogue number : CB-CO-91-371-EN-C 

ISBN 92-77-75325-0 

Office for Official Publications of the European Communities 
L-2985 Luxembourg