Even if you have a partner to parent with, making sure the kids are alright while keeping the household running and your sanity in check can be tricky. Which is why all solo parents deserve a trophy.
They also deserve more recognition of the extra pressure they carry – something the City of Brussels is now acknowledging with its new scheme offering single parents 20 free hours of babysitting a year. It means that everyone with children under 12 who are parenting solo in Brussels, Laeken, Haren and Neder-Over-Heembeek can register and use the babysitting as they need.
There are so many good things about this project, one of them being there’s no stipulation on what you need the sitter for. It could be a medical appointment, or it could be getting the nails done or a haircut. You might use the time to nip to the supermarket and stock up on supplies without your kids insisting on filling the trolley with Nutri-Score E products.
I have yet to meet a single parent who would not benefit. And though parenting is the best job, it's rarely smooth sailing. For those flying solo – financially, administratively and emotionally – it's all on them. Single parents are not rare; they make up a third of all households in Brussels and 80% are women.
With only one income, it's not surprising they are more likely to fall below the poverty line, a stress which will eat into your bandwidth for your kids and ability to remain cheerful. Getting the chance to go off and do something for yourself is a small perk but an important one that those of us who have partners can take for granted.
The project was launched in October by the Public Centre for Social Welfare (CPAS) of the City of Brussels, the City of Brussels and the non-profit organisation Jeunesse à Bruxelles. There is a budget of €150,000 which the organisers say is enough to offer the service to all single parents living in those areas.
Here's how it works
Parents register and get 20 vouchers, one for each hour of babysitting that they can use any time. Qualified babysitters are assigned from a database. They are holders of a leader or coordinator certificate for holiday centres; certificates recognised by the Fédération Wallonie Bruxelles after residential training and professional experience.
Public education staff can also work as babysitters. So far (January data), 25 babysitter applications have been accepted. Babysitters are paid and their travel to your home and their training is paid – including in first aid.
The service will match parents with a babysitter suited to the child's age and specific needs. This matching shows that the service has been designed not only to relieve parents but also to offer a genuine service for kids.
I had a friend visiting recently who is a single parent of a six-year-old boy. When I pointed out the service (advertised on our local tram stop) she thought it was the most incredible idea, wishing she had the same where she lives.
She was sure the demand would be immense. But perhaps not enough parents know about it, given that the take-up so far has been limited. Latest data from January shows that only 38 parents registered for the service. And in 2024, the service was used 32 times: four times in November and 28 in December.
City of Brussels says feedback has been encouraging, with parents impressed by the quality of the babysitters. The sitters themselves also expressed their satisfaction with the service, emphasising the trust that has been established.
The scheme's most obvious benefit is it gives parents a break. As Faouzia Hariche, alderwoman for Public Education, Youth and Human Resources, so rightly points out: “Happy parents mean happy children”.
Secondly, just knowing you have a safety valve prevents the feeling of being unable to cope. Having the vouchers to fall back on is a great peace of mind that can keep at bay those feelings of overwhelm.
And solo parenting is not rare; the scheme has the potential to help a lot of families. As a parent who has a partner, I cannot imagine how I would cope on my own. I know from talking to friends who do that the mental burden of being solely responsible for a young child can be panic-inducing.
Not being able to say to the other parent “I am exhausted, can you bring them to the match/ do the bath/ make dinner”. The theory behind the service is so empathetic. It is not waiting for single parents to ask for help, it is giving them the vouchers upfront to use when they need.
The germ came from a discussion on single parenthood organised by the City of Brussels in October 2023. Families shared their experiences and daily problems. Many cited the challenge of balancing social, economic and mental pressure. In the words of the City of Brussels, the aim is to “offer lone parents time to attend to administrative or medical appointments, or simply to take a breather and carry out other activities that contribute to their balance and well-being”.
They deserve a shout-out for such a lovely service. Bravo for this new scheme and now I hope more single parents get to hear about it and get that breather that every parent needs.
