CHILDREN TAKEN CARE OF, MOTHERS AT WORK

The situation in Estonia today is such that 80% of women want to harmonise their careers and family lives. Parents wish to start working when their child turns one, but they do not have enough opportunities to do so. Statistics show that in 2003, the number of children 1-4 years of age in Estonia was 62,175; 28,793 of them attended preschool institutions, which meant that care for 33,382 children was organised by their parents. 48% of local governments have queues for kindergarten places.

More than 50% of parents with small children would like to see a childcare system that is more flexible than the current one and which would give them the option to choose between alternative forms of childcare. Unfortunately, the possibilities of alternative childcare today are minimal and these services are too expensive for parents, which means that parents who would like to use the alternatives cannot afford them. Local authorities also lack the knowledge of how to solve this problem.

The purpose of the Estonian EQUAL project’s work is to contribute to the harmonisation of family and work through the creation of more accessible, flexible and good quality childcare services, which allow parents who have been unable to work due to the lack of childcare possibilities to return to the labour market.

The Estonian EQUAL project’s work will result in an increase in employment of parents (mainly mothers) through the creation of a flexible childcare system in Estonia. This will be achieved through:

• A 50% improvement in the knowledge of Estonian parents, local governments and the public about the nature and possibility of creating alternative childcare options
• Creation of a playroom in Põlva which will be utilised by at least 80% of the permitted capacity
• Developing at least 10 legal family daycare providers in Estonia, whose services will be utilised by at least 80% of the permitted capacity
• Reintegration into the labour market 60% of parents who use the created alternative childcare options
• Creation of at least 13 new jobs for women (at least 10 family daycare providers and 3 employees in the Põlva playroom)