PREFACE: BEYOND ‘DIY’ SOLUTIONS

Listening to what child-minder Stijn had to tell about his work in after-school care has hit close to home, since Stijn works in the same after-school care centre where my school-aged children used to go to.  Week after week, the news about the childcare sector is dominated by closures of day-care centres, staff shortages and underfunding.

At the time, my husband and I had agreed not to have our three children constantly cared for by their grandparents. We all thought it was best if they would take care of their grandchildren in case of emergency, so they could dedicate themselves fully to the kids at those moments. Our child-minder Carine, and later on the staff of the after-school care centre, were structurally part of a reliable and warm care framework for a long time. Our kids were able to grow up in a pleasant, safe and familiar environment.

Against the background of understaffing and limited resources for childcare facilities, the significant modification by this government of the time-credit system – the possibility to take leave to help reconcile work and family life – has really upset me as a mother and potential grandmother. My kids have left home now and may become parents themselves in a few years’ time. I can’t help wonder how they will manage to combine working and taking care of their children.

Their search for an affordable family home on the private market is far from easy too. The problem is aggravated by the energy crisis and loss in purchasing power. I realise that even knowledge workers, both young and old, who have a reasonably well-paid job struggle to cope with the generally declining purchasing power: one if the key topics of this issue.

I therefore refuse to accept the trend according to which each employee, each parent and each family has to come up with solutions themselves. In this issue, you can draw inspiration from Nathalie Winters and take part in the actions by civil society organisations such as your trade union, to obtain the necessary financial and human resources. We must continue to strive for a sustainable and high-quality combination of working and caring, mustn’t we?

Make it possible to discuss the combination of working and caring. Start in your company or organisation. Our employee delegates are more than willing to put their weight behind it. Put this topic high on the social and political agenda. For yourself, your children and all those who play a part in the process of growing up.

Never Work Alone 2023 | Preface: Sandra Vercammen | Image: Dries Luyten