The Family Association in Flanders is calling for increased funding from the Flemish Government to support local authorities in organising out-of-school care and playgrounds.
Lutgard Vrints, a policy officer at the Family Association's research department, expressed concerns about the current lack of accessibility to such services during a recent interview on Radio 1's "The Morning" programme.
Vrints stressed the importance of the government ensuring that parents, who are expected to work with two incomes, have the necessary means to do so. She also argued that the current allocation of 20 vacation days for parents is insufficient.
Finding suitable out-of-school care, especially during the summer months, can be a challenging task. Daycare centres quickly reach their capacity, leaving many parents to navigate a patchwork of childcare options, camps, personal leave, and the assistance of friends and family to ensure adequate care for their children during the summer.
To address this issue, the Family Association launched the "Holiday Care Puzzle" campaign at the beginning of the school holidays. The summer holiday period, which spans two months, poses a puzzle for working parents, particularly due to the financial barriers associated with children's camps.
Since 2019, local authorities have been responsible for organising out-of-school childcare. Vrints emphasised the need for these authorities to provide clear and diverse options that are financially accessible to all, while also ensuring coordinated registration procedures.
Duty of care
The Family Association also highlights the Flemish Government's responsibility in providing sufficient resources to local authorities for organising out-of-school childcare.
During the Radio 1 interview, Vrints argued that the government should have an overview of the situation and monitor the availability of diverse options across all regions. She suggested that the distribution of funds in Flanders should be increased, as even those receiving additional funding from recent redistributions fail to provide services for everyone. Vrints also pointed out that many local authorities will receive even fewer resources starting from 2026.
While some may consider shortening the summer holidays as a solution to alleviate the challenges faced by parents, the Family Association disagrees. Vrints argued against reducing the number of vacation days, citing the example of French-language education in Belgium, where summer holidays were shortened but other school holidays were extended.
She made the point that Belgium already has the highest number of school days compared to neighbouring regions, making it unsuitable to increase the number of school weeks. Vrints reiterated the government's responsibility, emphasising the need to ensure that working with two incomes is feasible and that relying on only 20 vacation days is insufficient.
