Childcare is an important and useful resource which can help parents into work. Formal childcare, in particular, has many benefits for young children. The European Social Fund (ESF) can help create programmes for parents to engage in education, training and employment while providing childcare services for their children.

The Role of the European Social Fund in Supporting Childcare Provision in the European Union

Emma Harte, Joanna Hofman, Anastasia Sikiaridi

ResearchPublished Apr 25, 2016

Parents' access to employment can sometimes hinge on the availability of good quality childcare. Some EU policies exist that relate to the question of childcare, social inclusion and access to employment. This policy brief discusses the role that the European Social Fund (ESF) plays in supporting childcare provision in the European Union (EU). Specifically, this brief looks at some of the Operational Programmes from the current funding cycle (2014–2020) which incorporate an element of childcare into their plans. In addition, this policy brief categorises and compiles different examples of ESF funded projects from across the EU, which relate to childcare, from the previous 2007–2013 funding cycle, with the aim of encouraging new applicants to access the ESF.

Key Finding

The European Social Fund provides support to a wide range of initiatives across the EU Member States. These practices serve as examples to inspire future use of ESF grants.

Topics

Document Details

  • Copyright: European Union
  • Publisher: RAND Corporation
  • Availability: Web-Only
  • Year: 2016
  • Pages: 39
  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.7249/RR1364
  • Document Number: RR-1364-EC

Citation

RAND Style Manual
Harte, Emma, Joanna Hofman, and Anastasia Sikiaridi, The Role of the European Social Fund in Supporting Childcare Provision in the European Union, RAND Corporation, RR-1364-EC, 2016. As of October 3, 2024: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR1364.html
Chicago Manual of Style
Harte, Emma, Joanna Hofman, and Anastasia Sikiaridi, The Role of the European Social Fund in Supporting Childcare Provision in the European Union. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2016. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR1364.html.
BibTeX RIS

Research conducted by

The research described in this report was prepared for the European Commission's Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion and conducted by RAND Europe.

This publication is part of the RAND research report series. Research reports present research findings and objective analysis that address the challenges facing the public and private sectors. All RAND research reports undergo rigorous peer review to ensure high standards for research quality and objectivity.

This document and trademark(s) contained herein are protected by law. This representation of RAND intellectual property is provided for noncommercial use only. Unauthorized posting of this publication online is prohibited; linking directly to this product page is encouraged. Permission is required from RAND to reproduce, or reuse in another form, any of its research documents for commercial purposes. For information on reprint and reuse permissions, please visit www.rand.org/pubs/permissions.

RAND is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis. RAND's publications do not necessarily reflect the opinions of its research clients and sponsors.