20.5% increase in childcare enrolment by December 2014

The number of children of working parents enrolled in childcare increased by 20.5% in December 2014. An increase to 25.6% is expected by the end of this year.

The statistics were revealed at The Mutual Learning Programme conference, entitled 'Making Work Pay for Mothers', held earlier today.

The conference was attended by various representatives from ten key countries including Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Netherlands, Poland and Slovakia. Education minister Evarist Bartolo was unable to attend. 

The conferences are held on a yearly basis, with the host European member state choosing the topic for discussion. The conferences have the express aim of sharing good practises and ideas between member states. 

The European Commission's Director General for Justice Anna Vannisteroy said that the mutual learning programmes were designed to ensure the exchange of information and that this year the discussions would take place over two days.

She explained that gender equality has always been important for the EU, with various initiatives being introduced to address the issue such as flexible work arrangements and adequate care for children.

"Furthermore, the Commission has a recommendation on equal work for equal pay where 8 countries received specific recommendations based on gender."

She explained that the Country Specific Recommendations (CSRs) were issued yesterday and that Malta was not given a CSR on employment.

“The Commission has recognised Malta’s efforts and commitment towards enabling working environments and support structures at the work place as it has put in place measures to help its population manage their work and family life balance, in particular through fiscal incentives, the continuing provision of free childcare centres and the introduction of flexible working arrangements.”

ETC chairman Clyde Caruana said that in 2005 the Maltese government had to do something to tackle the low female participation in the country as it was one of the lowest in the EU.

First, tax credits for mothers who entered the workforce just after having their children or after a significant absence of around five years were introduced. Although a difference was noted, it proved ineffective for those parents who had a lower income or who did not pay taxes.

Some of the most effective initiatives were free childcare for parents or single parents and those in training and education, the opening of more centres of Klabb 316 for children between 3 to 16 years of age after school hours and a reduction in fees, as well as the introduction of breakfast clubs. The tapering of social benefits had the strongest impact. 

Another initiative expected to help is the setting up of a maternity fund, which aims to help employers shoulder the costs of parental leave for both fathers and mothers. 

"The scheme is not universal but it stems for neo-liberal values which reward work and effort and discourage dependency," Caruana said. 

Prof. Anna Borg, who also carried out the research, said that the percentage of children under the age of three in childcare had been pushed to 21%, in the first nine months of the system being in place. 

"200 mothers are estimated to have entered the workforce in low-to medium-skill jobs, with two-thirds of these sticking to part time jobs, pointing to factors like ideology being a cause for women choosing not work," Borg explained.

Borg also pointed out that 50 new child carers had been employed since the beginning of the scheme and the aggregate increase in working hours by mothers had led to an estimated €1.9 million contribution to the economy. 

She explained that some of the main issues for working mothers were the fact that school hours in the country are among the lowest in the EU, with some schools closing at 1pm and with very long summer holidays as well as a deep-seated cultural expectation for women to choose either work or raising children.